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Relatives of the victims of a man who sexually assaulted the bodies of more than 100 dead women are to receive compensation under a new government scheme.
Immediate family members of those abused by David Fuller, 68, will be eligible to claim up to £32,500, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced on Thursday.
Fuller, 68, filmed himself abusing corpses at Tunbridge Wells Hospital and the now-closed Kent and Sussex Hospital, where he had worked as an electrician since 1989. These crimes took place between 2008 and 2020.
Fuller pleaded guilty to 44 charges related to 78 victims after police discovered evidence of the crime during a raid on his home in December 2020.
The raid followed the success of DNA linking Fuller to the 1987 murders of Wendy Nell, 25, and Caroline Pearce, 20, in Tunbridge Wells, crimes he later pleaded guilty to and for which he was given a life sentence.
In November this year, he pleaded guilty to abusing the corpses of 23 more women.
The DHSC scheme will be administered by NHS Resolution, an arms-length body which helps the health service resolve concerns and disputes, on behalf of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, which both run the hospitals where the offenses took place.
More than 90 claimants have already come forward, with anyone able to demonstrate a close family relationship to one of Fuller’s victims able to apply.
Three levels of compensation are available, with all successful claimants eligible to receive at least £7,500.
They will be able to claim between £5,000 and £25,000 in additional compensation for psychological trauma. The third tier will cover certain financial losses.
Mental Health Minister Maria Caulfield said: “My condolences go out to the families of all of David Fuller’s victims.
“These were horrific incidents and the independent investigation we have launched will help ensure this never happens again.
“Families will benefit from the announcements made today.”
The government has set up an independent inquiry to investigate how Fuller was able to carry out the abuse undetected over such a long period of time.
A report on its findings is expected to be published next year.
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