Thousands of women abused as children may be unable to get justice due to legal anomaly

Exclusive: Loophole' in England and Wales from Sexual Offences Act is being challenged in human rights court

Thousands of women who were sexually abused as children could be unable to obtain justice because of an anomaly in the law of England and Wales that is being challenged at the European court of human rights.

The case has been brought by Lucy (not her real name), who was 13 when a man 22 years her senior began having sex with her. Despite him admitting it, police told her charges could not be brought because she did not report the alleged offence in time.