THE son of Medway Councillor Tony Luckhurst, has been awarded compensation worth more than £570,000, for injuries he received in an horrific motorcyle accident.

Dominic Luckhurst was in a coma for 10 days and sustained serious head and internal injuries, when his motorbike collided with a car in Croydon four-and-a-half years ago.

On Thursday the High Court in London heard how his life fell apart following the accident. Counsel Christopher Du Cann said the crash changed his once sunny personality forever.

He suffered traumatic brain injury and, in addition to the personality change, he was left with paralysis to the left side, headaches, fatigue and reduced memory, concentration and executive skills.

Mr Du Cann said he also suffered from shortness of temper and "impulsivity". He is legally classified as "a patient incapable of managing his own financial affairs".

Before the accident Dominic had lived at Horsham, Sussex, with his wife Catherine and two-year old daughter Olivia. But as a result of the accident his marriage had irretrievably broken down.

Although he still had contact with his daughter, now five, he was heavily dependent on the loving support of his father.

Since the accident Dominic has had six jobs, but is now back working for the motorcycle dealership, Dobles, of Coulsdon, Surrey, where he was employed when the accident happened.

It was through his father, Tony Luckhurst, that Dominic sued the driver of the car involved in his accident, Michelle Haycock, of Hooley, Surrey. Her insurers settled the case on the basis of 77.5 per cent liability.

Cllr Luckhurst said Dominic had now moved into his own flat in Strood.

"His family, who helped care for him following the accident, were very relieved when he made sufficient recovery to return to work, and more importantly, that he did not succumb to his very serious injuries at the time of the accident," he said.

"The compensation he was awarded in the High Court will be put in trust to help care for him for the rest of his life, and also to mitigate his potential future loss of earnings."

Tragedy struck the family again last year when Cllr Luckhurst's wife Judy died following a road accident in Norfolk.