Teaching assistant, 44, beaten up by a FIVE-YEAR-OLD wins £140k after suing school
A TEACHING assistant beaten up by a five-year-old boy has won £140,000 today - after telling a court she has been dogged by chronic pain.
Aleksandra Aukett, 44, sued a local authority for £250,000 after she was left on crutches and "traumatised" by the frightening infant school attack in March 2017.
She suffered multiple soft tissue injuries when "punched, pinched and kicked" by the reception class pupil, who was "big for his age", while trying to keep order.
Ms Aukett, who stepped up to the witness box at Central London County Court using walking sticks, says she has not returned to work due to a fear of the “school environment” in the aftermath of her ordeal.
Now Judge Richard Roberts has ordered the London Borough of Hillingdon, the local authority responsible for overseeing the school, to fork out compensation.
It comes after the court heard today that more should have been done to protect Ms Aukett in the workplace.
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Barrister Gemma Witherington told Judge Roberts the child - known as X - had already beaten up another youngster when Ms Aukett was hurt.
She'd removed the other pupils from the room when X launched himself at her, punching her in the chest, pinching her and kicking her hips, groin and legs, it was heard.
The attack caused ongoing damage to Ms Aukett's lower back, chest and left buttock.
Medical experts said she's been plagued by chronic back pain, PTSD and depression in the aftermath of her ordeal.
"I'm still restricted," she told the court.
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"I'm nowhere near the level of mobility, fitness and health I was at before the accident."
Her barrister said X has learning difficulties and comes from a "vulnerable background".
However, she added: "This was a very nasty assault which had physical and mental health consequences."
Ms Aukett hadn't been warned about the lad's "violent tendencies" in advance, it was claimed - even though he was known for "physically assaulting other pupils and staff".
"It was reasonably foreseeable that this child would seriously injure either another pupil or one of the teachers," Ms Witherington said.
Lawyers for the London Borough of HIllingdon, which denied liability, say Ms Aukett had been trained in how to restrain and de-escalate.
I'm looking forward to opening a new chapter... this has been completely horrendous
Roderick Abbott, representing the local authority, told the court his clients did everything in their power to safeguard staff and pupils from any risk posed.
He highlighted a specific pupil risk assessment for the five-year-old which pinpointed a risk of potential hazards.
“This clearly identifies the risk of X being violent towards staff and pupils,” he argued.
However, the court has now sided with Ms Aukett - and ordered the council to pay out.
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Speaking afterwards, Ms Aukett said she was “looking forward to opening a new chapter in my life”.
“It’s been horrendous,” she said, adding that the attack had been “completely life-changing”.
