Pay out after teacher assault

Ms Waugh is not well enough to work in school again

A teacher who was left unable to work after she was attacked by a dangerous teenager has been awarded £190,000 damages in the High Court.

Since the attack by the 14-year-old, Judith Waugh , 53, of Coopers Close, Chigwell Row, Essex, has suffered psychiatric problems and has taken early retirement.

Miss Waugh was working at John F Kennedy special school in Stratford, east London, when the incident happened in June 1998.

The judge ruled the London Borough of Newham, which denied liability, was negligent in its supervision of the teenager, who had a history of violent behaviour.

I seem to live my life in fear

Judith Waugh

Miss Waugh was speaking to the headteacher when the boy came in behind her, covered her face with his hands and forced his nails in.

She told Mr Justice Cooke: "I was suddenly plunged into darkness and felt terrible pain.

"It felt like my nose was being ripped off and my eyes gouged out."

Her minor facial injuries healed but Miss Waugh developed severe post-traumatic stress disorder and still requires intensive therapy.

Dangerous pupil

She said: "I can't have anyone around behind me. I get very anxious going into unknown buildings and rooms and have to face the doors."

She added: "I seem to live my life in fear".

The teenager, who had problems with vision and mobility, required constant attention and two classroom assistants were needed to manage him.

One of his teachers, who needed hospital treatment after he hit her on the nose, said: "If he can harm someone in any way, he will."

Her counsel Simon Dyer said: "This child was known to be dangerous and therefore reasonable steps should have been taken to ensure he did not attack Jude Waugh, or indeed anybody else."

The judge ruled that the London Borough of Newham was negligent because it did not tell the teenager's escort, who brought him to school, of the need for a stronger form of restraint so that the boy could not break free.