The Supreme Court has been told that the State would pay all of the damages awarded to a 23-year-old autistic man by the High Court, even though it was appealing some of the legal issues in the case. The court was told that the State would not be seeking to "claw back" the £222,500 damages awarded to Jamie Sinnott in October. The State is appealing the £55,000 damages awarded to Jamie's mother Kathryn Sinnott.
However, lawyers for the Government told the court that even if they won that appeal they would not be seeking the return of £15,000 already handed over to Mrs Sinnott. In October last year, the High Court found that Jamie Sinnott had not received adequate primary education. The State's lawyers accepted today that Jamie's constitutional rights had been infringed but they are challenging the judge's ruling that Jamie is entitled to primary education for as long as he needs it. That appeal is due to be heard on 27 March.
