Paralysed Girl, Six, Wins Payout Worth Millions

A six-year-old girl who was left brain damaged and paralysed by a dangerous driver has been awarded a multi-million pound payout.

Cerys Edwards, from Sutton Coldfield, was a baby when the car she was travelling in with her parents was hit by Antonio Boparan Singh in 2006.

Singh, who was 19 at the time, and is heir to a £130m fortune, was driving his parent's Range Rover in excess of 70mph in a 30mph zone, on the wrong side of the road.

Singh's insurers will pay Cerys a lump sum of £5m, plus £450,000 a year for the rest of her life, which her lawyer estimates could be worth between £10-£15m.

"Every penny of this award is needed for Cery's care in the future," explained the family's solicitor Richard Langton.

"She has a 24-hour package of carers and nurses looking after her because she's paralysed and brain damaged, she can't move and is ventilator dependent so it's not a lottery winning, it's money that's needed for her care.

"Today the judge made the very telling point that no amount of money can actually turn back the clock or make a difference to Cerys' injuries but at least it gives the parents security for the future. They know whatever happens there'll be enough funds to pay for Cerys' care."

Speaking outside Birmingham's High Court, Mr Langton told how Cerys' parents began a campaign after Singh was sentenced to 21 months in prison following the head-on crash, but served only six months.

"After that the parents felt the maximum sentence for dangerous driving was just inadequate and even the judge in the case said so," he said.

"So they got together a petition of 30,000 people and took it to the Home Secretary who promised to change the law.

"In the last few months, an act of parliament has been put forward and they're going to increase sentences to five years, arguably still not enough but it's going in the right direction."

http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16175784

It's taken 6 years for this little girl to get compensation for the damage this person has done....how have the family coped in all this time...6 long bloody years and why hasnt this mans face been plastered all over the papers so people can see what a low life he is...I bet he has a family off his own now, how would he feel about the man if he did this to his daughter....

I agree he should be seen to have paid a higher price in his liberty for what he did.

Also that he should have been shamed by having to see his face in the public press. What I find unusual is that I never saw this reported. Now that is strange - so why no reporting in the news. Did the family make sure it was not very well reported I wonder.

kitti


Yes, you are right Unfortunately they only learn the awfulness of what they have done when they have families themselves too true!