Paralysed Girl, Six, Wins Payout Worth Millions

A six-year-old girl who was left brain damaged and paralysed by a dangerous driver has been awarded a multi-million pound payout.

Cerys Edwards, from Sutton Coldfield, was a baby when the car she was travelling in with her parents was hit by Antonio Boparan Singh in 2006.

Singh, who was 19 at the time, and is heir to a £130m fortune, was driving his parent's Range Rover in excess of 70mph in a 30mph zone, on the wrong side of the road.

Singh's insurers will pay Cerys a lump sum of £5m, plus £450,000 a year for the rest of her life, which her lawyer estimates could be worth between £10-£15m.

"Every penny of this award is needed for Cery's care in the future," explained the family's solicitor Richard Langton.

"She has a 24-hour package of carers and nurses looking after her because she's paralysed and brain damaged, she can't move and is ventilator dependent so it's not a lottery winning, it's money that's needed for her care.

"Today the judge made the very telling point that no amount of money can actually turn back the clock or make a difference to Cerys' injuries but at least it gives the parents security for the future. They know whatever happens there'll be enough funds to pay for Cerys' care."

Speaking outside Birmingham's High Court, Mr Langton told how Cerys' parents began a campaign after Singh was sentenced to 21 months in prison following the head-on crash, but served only six months.

"After that the parents felt the maximum sentence for dangerous driving was just inadequate and even the judge in the case said so," he said.

"So they got together a petition of 30,000 people and took it to the Home Secretary who promised to change the law.

"In the last few months, an act of parliament has been put forward and they're going to increase sentences to five years, arguably still not enough but it's going in the right direction."