Young Offenders Act 1997

For the purposes of this Act, a victim means a person who suffers harm as a direct result of an act committed, or apparently committed, by a child in the course of a criminal offence.

A person suffers harm if, as a result of such an act—

the person suffers physical harm or suffers mental illness, nervous shock or other psychological harm (including fear, humiliation, shame or stress), or

the person’s property is deliberately taken, destroyed or damaged or the person suffers financial loss.

For the purposes of this Act, a victim that is an organisation or a Government authority may be represented by an officer of, or other person nominated by, the organisation or authority.