A TEENAGE girl who had to wear a neck brace for eight weeks after an attack in Fife has backed a campaign against UK Government plans to cut compensation payouts for victims of crime.
Caitlin Moore, 16, said it was "unfair" the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is planning to end payments for claims below £2500 and significantly reduce payments for claims below £11,000.
Ms Moore, from Glenrothes, received £2800 from the MoJ's Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICS) after she was left with two black eyes and a neck injury when she was set upon by a gang of seven girls in Lochmore Meadows Country Park last January. She also suffered a split lip and internal bruising.
She said: "I don't think it's fair at all. I was in a lot of pain. It really affected me. But the compensation made me feel like I was getting something back."
The CICS applies to anyone injured in an act of violence in Scotland, England or Wales, and payouts can be made even if no-one is convicted.
A campaign against the cuts has been launched by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers. Ms Moore said: "I don't really understand it. I think it's quite shocking, to be honest."
The teenager, 17 in November, hopes to put her payout towards a car.
Her mother, Victoria Littlejohn, added: "The compensation is in recognition of what she's been through. It's terrible they're looking to cut it for people who have been hurt."
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