Kick case agony (From Barry And District News)

Kick case agony

BARRY karate expert Clifton Brown faces a two-week wait in his controversial court fight with a former pupil.

The Beryl Road resident is being sued for £1 million compensation by Rhoose girl Kate Stratton who claims she was left disabled during one of his lessons seven years ago.

Sports-loving Ms Stratton, 26, took up the karate lessons at Holm View Community Centre to keep fit - but says her life was ruined by a single kick to the head. She turned, from a "girl with a bright future" into a woman unfit to ever work or play top level sport again, she claims.

Her lawyer Milwyn Jarman QC said: "This was not just a case of somebody punching somebody to the face but a body swing 360 degrees when the leg landed on Ms Stratton's head.

"But for this kick the disorder would not have been brought on."

He told the court Ms Stratton was only 19 when she was kicked. She was left unable to eat, talk or walk and spent 12 months in a hospital bed.

Her devoted mother Vi gave up a nursing job to spend every day at her daughter's bedside.

But High Court Judge Mr Justice Morrison said an accident two years earlier when she fell off a chair at college could have turned her into a "walking time bomb".

Ms Stratton has made a steady recovery over seven years but still needs the constant care of her mother and husband John.

She suffers from epilepsy and the only jobs she has had since have been short spells as a shop assistant and a cleaner.

The High Court in Cardiff heard that she had been a talented footballer with a female team and had a "great future".

The injury happened just near the end of a course to become a nursery nurse. Her college assessments showed she was a student of distinction and she had been due to go to America to work as a nanny and take a sports college course.

Her instructor said he did not see the kick to the head because he was "remonstrating" with another karate learner.

Mr Brown, 35, an instructor for 19 years, claimed he saw another pupil with his arms around Ms Stratton but she was talking freely and there was no sign of any injury.

But witnesses saw the girl's nose bleed and start to swell before she was taken to hospital by one of the other instructors.

She was detained in hospital suffering from memory loss and did not even know the names of her family. Scans in the next two years showed she was suffering from a brain abnormality.

The five-day court action is to determine the extent of damages.

Lawyers have already agreed to settle on the basis that there is no admission of 100 percent liability by Mr Brown's insurers.

Ms Stratton's solicitors have agreed to accept 45 percent of the final damages award.

Mr Justice Morrison reserved his judgement for two weeks although an ultimate decision date is yet to be confirmed.