I was violently assaulted by an intruder who I disturbed at my home. They had broken into my property late evening when I was upstairs in the shower. The house probably looked liked no one was in.

I heard a noise and went downstairs half dressed to find them holding my laptop. I screamed and tried to get it back and they hit me with it about my head and face.

My head was pounding, and I managed to call 999 before passing out, coming to, in the hospital. I spoke to the police while at hospital and arranged to provider a full statement in a few days.

The injuries to my head and face were horrible; there was so much swelling and bruising I could not bear to look. The doctors had put a dressing that covered one eye and it was not clear at first if it would get better or not.

After weeks of treatment the eye specialist concluded that I would never get the sight back in my right eye. This was exceedingly difficult news to hear.

I made a claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme and was awarded £22,000 for the total loss of sight in my eye, plus an additional amount for the scars on my face.