A paedophile who abused three young girls has been ordered by a High Court judge to pay more than £200,000 to one of his victims.
Derek Lampitt, 54, was jailed for eight years at Birmingham Crown Court in 2009.
He was convicted of sexual activity with a child, causing a child to engage in sexual activity and 10 counts of indecent assault.
Two of the assault charges related to a woman now in her 20s, who cannot be identified, who has been awarded compensation by Judge Peter Hughes QC.
The money will go towards psychiatric treatment she now needs and help her to retake her GCSEs.
David McClenaghan, representing the woman, told how Lampitt started abusing her when she was a child, reports the Birmingham Mail.
The victim now suffers from persistent depression and chronic post-traumatic stress disorder.
She told the court: “I think I have come to terms with the fact that I actually need help. I tried to fight it for many years.
“After I spoke to the psychiatrist I realised it is not weak to get help if you need it"
The mum-of-one added that, due to what happened to her, she is over-protective of her child and worries that someone will hurt him.
Growing up, she dreamed of becoming a probation officer but her school attendance and GCSE results suffered because of the abuse, police investigation and trial.
Judge Hughes said: “She impressed me as a totally straightforward and honest witness who plainly has been deeply and lastingly affected by the abuse that she suffered.
“No award of money can compensate for the harm done and its scarring affects on a young person’s life and well-being.”
He said she had suffered a "significant period of persistent abuse at an important stage in her adolescent development".
He was satisfied the abuse "fundamentally altered the course of her life".
Lampitt’s denial of the allegations led to the "added trauma" of her having to give evidence at his trial, said the judge.
The woman was awarded a total of £184,607 damages, plus interest which will bring her payout to over £200,000.
Lampitt, previously of Howard Road, Handsworth, who did not attend the hearing and was not legally represented, has 14 days to pay the damages.
He must also pay the heavy legal costs of the action and was ordered to pay £30,000 of them within a fortnight.
Mirror UK
Growing up, she dreamed of becoming a probation officer but her school attendance and GCSE results suffered because of the abuse, police investigation and trial.
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