A YOUNG Oxford man, who says he was robbed of a glittering legal career by horrific injuries suffered in a school minibus crash, this week won £200,000 in compensation.

James Gorman, 22, was a 15-year-old pupil at Oakham School, Rutland, when, on March 8 1999, the minibus crashed on the A34 near Reading.

He is currently living and studying for his final solicitors exams in Oxford, having graduated with a 2.2 from Oxford Brookes University earlier this year.

A trailer which the bus was towing came un-coupled and veered into the path of a Rover Metro which crashed into the bus which, in turn, flipped onto its side.

The bus skidded 100 metres on its side, causing severe multiple fractures and lacerations to Mr Gorman as he was scraped along the road, including horrific head and facial injuries as his scalp was "sandpapered" along the carriageway, down to his bare skull on one side.

Mr Gorman sued the engineering company that supplied the trailer and its coupling to the school and his counsel, Mr Harry Trusted, told the court liability had been admitted on the basis the coupling was unsafe because the wrong type of nuts had been used.

On the second day of what was expected to be a week-long trial, Mr Justice Mackay was told Mr Gorman had agreed to a £200,000 settlement of his case.