[2024] UKUT 387 (AAC)

On 2 February 2021, Ms W claimed criminal injuries compensation for that abuse.

The applicable scheme is the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012.

In a decision communicated by letter dated 1 September 2022, CICA accepted that Ms W had been the victim of a crime of violence and awarded £2,400 at level A4 x 100% for significant scarring to face (pages A56 to A58). The letter explained that no award was being made for the claimed psychological effects of the abuse because there was no diagnosis by a clinical psychologist or a psychiatrist.

Ms W’s mother sought a review on her daughter’s behalf, in a form completed on 13 October 2022. In the form, Ms W’s mother said that the scarring is serious and affects her daughter’s mental health daily, that her daughter’s nose is also disfigured, that her daughter’s eye droops, that her daughter has nightmares causing sleepless nights making her too tired to function fully, that her daughter is unable to work and requires daily medication to help control anxiety, and that the abusive violent relationship has scarred her daughter to the point that it affects any new relationship her daughter tries to have (page A60).

In a review decision communicated by letter dated 10 March 2023, CICA upheld the decision to make an award only for significant facial scarring, but reduced the award by 25% for conduct to £1,800 (pages A67 and A69).