Brain-damaged boy's £2.7m pay-out

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A teenager who suffered irreversible brain damage after being struck down by a virus when just three weeks old has been awarded £2.75m compensation.

Gethin Davies, 13, of Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, will be dependent on others for life, the High Court heard.

Managers at Swansea's NHS Trust now accept there was a "negligent delay" in treating him with an anti-viral drug.

Most of the settlement will cover his on-going care and pay for his family to move to a house adapted to his needs.

Martin Spencer QC, told the hearing in London that Gethin was born uninjured in March 1994.

When he was three weeks old he was admitted to the hospital with a high temperature after his mother noticed he was irritable, not feeding well and that the left side of his face and left arm were twitching and jerking.

It is clear that this has had a catastrophic effect Mr Justice Lloyd Jones

The "abnormal results" of a test, argued Mr Spencer, should have alerted hospital staff to the possibility of infection by the herpes simplex virus.

Judge Mr Justice Lloyd Jones was told the hospital's managers now admitted Gethin should have been treated with anti-viral drug Aciclovir.

Although Mr Spencer conceded that Gethin would have suffered some brain damage in any event, he argued his injuries would have been much less severe.

The teenager, who lives with his mother, Susan Liles, in a housing association property, has quadriplegia, severe learning difficulties, and "very substantial motor, visual and cognitive difficulties", the court was told.

"He will be entirely dependent on carers for all activities of daily living throughout his lifetime," said Mr Spencer.

"Devoted care"

Through his mother, Gethin sued the hospital's managers, Swansea NHS Trust, who agreed to settle his claim for £2.75m.

Mr Spencer paid tribute to the care given to Gethin by his mother.

"She has brought up a large family and it is a matter of enormous admiration that Mrs Liles has done such a beautiful job in caring for Gethin," he said.

Mr Justice Lloyd Jones said he was "entirely satisfied" the settlement should be approved.

"It is clear that this has had a catastrophic effect, not only on Gethin's life.

But it is also clear that he is fortunate in having the devoted care of his mother," said the judge.

Although "nothing the court can do can turn the clock back", the judge urged Gethin and his family to "look to the future" and make the most of their lives.

Speaking after Monday's hearing Swansea NHS said Gethin was initially treated for suspected meningitis, and as a result there was a delay in beginning anti-viral therapy.

It said since the later 1990s "more sophisticated investigations" had been available to allow earlier diagnosis.

"We would like to take this opportunity to apologise to him and his family, and while no amount of money can restore his health, we hope the compensation will at least help him live his life as comfortably as possible," it said in a statement.