CICAP tariffs under fire after award to machete case girlSolicitors this week called on the government to reform drastically the tariff system of compensation for criminal injuries after a girl injured in a machete attack saw her compensation rise to only 20,000.Francesca Quintyne was hurt in an attack at her school in 1994.

On appeal, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeal Panel (CICAP) raised her compensation from an original 8,000 to 20,000, which is the maximum that it could award.

But her solicitor, Tom Jones of Thompsons, described the award as 'insulting' and 'grossly unfair'.

'A victim of a car crash could get up to 100,000 compensation,' said Mr Jones.

'This implies that injuries sustained in a criminal attack are somehow less important than those received in other ways.'A Home Office spokesman said: 'There is a review of CICA currently going on and ministers will be putting their proposals for change to parliament shortly.' Victoria MacCallum