Image source, Family handout Image caption,

Katie had found the courage to give evidence against the running coach who abused her

By Jayne McCubbin & Katie Langton

BBC News

Encouraging abuse victims to come forward without a specialist support system in place is "totally irresponsible", campaigners have said.

Their open letter, with 150 signatories including Rape Crisis and Refuge, calls for fully-funded support to be included in the upcoming Victims Bill.

It was written by a woman whose friend helped convict their abusive running coach but then took her own life.

The government says it is improving support for victims at every stage.

The letter's author Charlie Webster and her friend Katie belonged to the same running group in Sheffield as teenagers. But the best friends never shared with each other that that their coach Paul North had sexually abused them over many years.

In 2002, North was jailed for 10 years after Katie and another victim reported him to police. Then aged 18, she had found the strength to give evidence against him in court.

But once North was convicted, Katie's mother Sue said her daughter was abandoned by a criminal justice system that seemed more interested in the offender than the victim.