Brother of murdered schoolboy denied compo (From The Argus)

Brother of murdered schoolboy denied compo

1:40pm Saturday 18th August 2007

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The brother of murdered schoolboy Keith Lyon has been denied compensation for the effect the crime had on his life.

Peter Lyon applied to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority on the advice of Sussex Police for help with the tens of thousands of pounds he has spent on psychiatric bills since his brother's death.

He has spent 40 years battling depression, suicidal thoughts and post traumatic stress disorder - a condition not recognised in the early years after 12-year-old Keith was killed.

Keith, a young, gifted musician was stabbed 11 times in the chest and back as he walked from his home in Ovingdean to Woodingdean to buy a geometry set on Saturday, May 6, 1967.

Now 48, Peter Lyon told The Argus: "The last 40 years of my adult life have been a struggle. I can only really put it down to this. I was a normal, jolly, cheeky chappy of a boy. My mother said as soon as this happened, I changed."

Mr Lyon had a nervous breakdown while studying at the Royal College of Music in 1990 and spent the next 15 years having psychotherapy.

If he had won compensation, Mr Lyon wanted to spend it on his son's education. Most of the money left to him by his own parents, Ken and Valda, has been spent on psychiatric care, leaving him with very little.

His nine-year-old son lives in Thailand where Mr Lyon, a musician, has spent much of the last ten years.

The compensation authority said his claim was rejected because he was not involved in the "immediate aftermath" of a violent crime.

Mr Lyon said: "I can't see how they can really say that. I was quite angered by it because it is almost offensive. My GP wrote to them saying she couldn't imagine anything that could be more damaging to a child at that age than have his only sibling removed and the effect of that on his parents.

"I have suffered from this serious depression all my life."

Mr Lyon said waiting decades for a conviction and a year for an answer from the compensation authority has added to his anxiety.

He said the stress has made it difficult to get close to people for fear of losing them and at times it is only his son that keeps him going.

He said: "It is a lot to live with. I feel like I am under this cloud all the time.

"I know a lot of people suffer, a lot of people have depression. I can only point to this. It was caused by a specific, horrific incident.

"I made this compensation claim because that is what this body is there for."

A spokesman for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority said its hands were tied by legal precedent. He said: "We are very sorry to hear the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Lyon's brother and the understandable impact this and the subsequent police investigation has had on him.

"The fact that we have not paid compensation in this case does not mean that we don't believe Mr Lyon has been deeply affected by his brother's murder.

"However, we operate under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme as laid down by Parliament and we have to determine if a claim is eligible under that scheme.

"Under the scheme an applicant can sometimes receive compensation for mental injury caused by the murder of a close relative. The applicant has to show he either witnessed or was present at the murder or he was closely involved in the immediate aftermath to receive compensation.

"There are legal cases to assist the interpretation of what is immediate aftermath. CICA staff will consider the circumstances of each case to decide if compensation can be paid."

Applicants can ask for a decision to be reviewed by a more senior case worker. If they are still unhappy, they can appeal to an independent panel.

Mr Lyon will ask for the decision to be reviewed. He is also hopeful that a new arrest by Sussex Police in June will lead to a prosecution.

A police spokeswoman said the investigation was ongoing. Anyone with information should call 0845 6070999 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

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