Just
reading a report of a Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority award to an
un-named twenty-two year old man.
He
receives £4,133,744 for multiple criminal injuries sustained when he was
assaulted in June 1989.
Bilateral
haemorrhage, subdural haematoma, diffuse injury to brain substance, fracture to
right femur, fractured right tibia and fibula, broken rib and finger amongst
the injuries.
Results
– autistic tendencies, difficulties with social interaction and language development,
abnormal behaviour, mild motor problems – dyspraxia.
The
person responsible for irreversibly changing his life at only five months old?
His
own mother.
The
financial cost (which we as a society should not hesitate to shoulder for the
innocent victim) is significant. The
emotional and social cost, the sadness, the feelings of outrage and despair are
simply unquantifiable.
Society has to
find cleverer, more powerful ways to prevent this.
