A TEACHER has been left with life-changing injuries after he was attacked by a student.
Craig Hearne, a 52-year-old, design and technology teacher in Caerphilly now suffers from sleepless nights after he was struck on the neck with a catering lid by a pupil.
The attack was three years ago and left Craig with permanent nerve damage to his face.
When Craig was attacked he was referred to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff for specialist treatment.
He suffered a deep laceration to his neck which resulted in permanent nerve damage – prohibiting him from working for months.
Craig claims he had brought up concerns about the pupil’s behaviour but was ignored by the school.
Craig told WalesOnline: “I’m angry that my concerns about this pupil were not adequately addressed by the school.
“Behavioural policies that exist are not being consistently adhered to.
“The safety of staff members appears to be secondary to the money they can make from school fees.”
Craig added: “That can’t be right.
“I hope by taking this action robust behavioural procedures will be implemented and strictly adhered to so that others won’t have to endure the physical and psychological distress that I have had to experience.”
Craig who is married and a father of three went to his trade union, the NASUWT and the law firm Thompsons Solicitors in an attempt to get compensation.
Craig managed to secure a significant compensation settlement for his injuries.
However, the incident has still left him battling the psychological trauma of going through an attack such as his.
The attack also resulted in the permanent loss of sensation on the right side of his face.
This has meant Craig is unable to ride his motorcycle as he struggles to put his helmet on.
A spokesperson for Queenswood School said: “We support young people with a range of complex social, emotional, and mental health difficulties meaning that colleagues may experience challenging behaviour on occasion.
“We have robust procedures in place to minimise the risks this presents and encourage staff to follow them at all times.”
They added: “In this instance three witnesses said the incident was not foreseeable and there is no evidence to suggest there had been assaults earlier in the day.
“We elected to settle the staff member’s injury claim out of court by offering a modest sum of compensation in recognition of the injury he suffered as in our view it was the fair thing to do.”
Additionally, the school said: “The incident was fully investigated and we are confident that appropriate measures were in place to avoid such an incident if they were followed correctly.
“We strongly challenge any suggestion that finances are prioritised ahead of the safety of our dedicated and valued colleagues who consistently deliver incredible support to the young people entrusted into our care and note that the majority of fees received from the local authorities who fund the placements are spent on staffing in the school.”
