Young footballer awarded £260,000 compensation
A young footballer robbed of his career by a bottle thug has won £260,000 in a compensation claim.
He was offered just £32,000 after he lost an eye in an unprovoked attack when he was 16.
But top players told the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority he could have signed for an Old Firm club and earned £500,000 a year.
After a lengthy legal battle his injury lawyers succeeded in raising the compensation amount to £262,418, from which over £200,000 was made up for lost future earnings.
The player, now 22, said: "As long as I live, I will always think, 'What if?' But this money will hopefully help me set myself up for life."
The main attacker in the group, a 14-year-old boy, was convicted of assault, but only received community service as punishment. His brother was sentenced to eight years for culpable homicide.
Updated on 20/04/2010