£40,000 for abuse by a prison officer
A man who was abused by a prison officer, has received £40,000 in compensation claims in a landmark legal ruling.
The court heard that he was sexually abused by a prison officer in the 1970s and 1980s.
It was also said that the officer regularly abused young inmates at the former Medomsley Detention Centre, County Durham.
The judgment is a landmark case, in the sense that now his other personal injury victims have a chance to win justice.
The 43-year-old was an inmate between April and May 1985, at a time when he was just 17 and serving a sentence for burglary and assault.He was too scared to tell anyone about what happened at the time.
After he heard police wanted to speak to the prison officer's victims, he came forth with his ordeal decades later.
The prison officer was jailed for 10 years after two separate criminal cases were brought against him.
His personal injury lawyers were successful in securing an out of court settlement.
The court also heard that the prison officer's colleagues had suspected he was molesting boys at the time but did nothing.
“At least this is some sort of victory to cling to and some sort of closure. I can say that part of my life is over.”
Updated on 25/01/2010