A man whose face and skull were smashed in a brutal attack over a drugs deal was awarded a massive $47,650, the annual report of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board revealed yesterday.

But the award to Charles Christopher, who suffered permanent brain damage as a result of the attack, was reduced by 60 percent to $19,000 because he was involved in drug buying at the time.

The award was the single highest of the total of more than $255,600 handed out to the victims of violent crime last year.

Mr. Christopher was beaten by a man after taking $50 to buy marijuana -- but he failed to return with the weed and instead bought crack cocaine for himself.

But Christopher, 39 at the time of the 1996 attack, was still awarded more than $19,000 for the injuries, which a court heard mean he will never lead a normal life again.

The report said: "The applicant, who was previously assessed as suffering from drug-induced psychosis and schizophrenia, suffered a significant decline in his intellectual functioning post-head injury.

"Further improvement in his current functioning is not anticipated. He is considered to be markedly disadvantaged with regards to functioning in all areas of his life, for example, he most likely would only be able to retain employment in a sheltered working environment, while previously he would have been able to seek employment on the open market.'' The highest award handed over in full was $29,340 given to a gardener who was attacked by a workmate wielding a chainsaw.

The report said David Boreland, then 30, suffered severe disfigurement to the left side of his face and permanent scarring as a result of the horror attack in 1996.

It added: "After removal of the stitches, an L-shaped scar remained on the left side of the applicant's face, extending from near the corner of his mouth to just in front of his ear.'' The report said: "It is certainly deforming and disfiguring.'' And it said Mr. Boreland had suffered a series of psychological problems as a result of the attack.

A 13-year-old boy -- who cannot be identified for legal reasons -- was awarded a total of $26,000 for trauma resulting from a sex attack in his own home in 1997.

The Compensation Board report said that counsellors diagnosed that the child was suffering from "a chronic adjustment disorder with anxiety'' and predicted he would have problems as he grew up and difficulty in establishing relationships.

And a 14-year-old girl, who also cannot be named, was awarded $17,375 after being raped in the garden of her home in 1997.

A report on the child said the girl had been admitted to hospital on several occasions following the horror attack with mental problems -- including attempted suicides.

The report added: "She has remained subject to depression and post-traumatic stress disorder since the incident and these vulnerabilities will remain for many years.

Dwight Hatherley, then 32, received a total of $17,165 in compensation after suffering permanent nerve damage to his left hand after being slashed on the arm with a knife. The report said he would never regain full use of the fourth and fifth fingers of his left hand following the 1997 attack.

And a 36-year-old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was awarded $16,000 after being grabbed off Court Street, forced into a car and taken to a nearby lane and raped in 1997.

Gergory Talbot, then 41, was given more than $15,600 in compensation after having his skull smashed in by a piece of pipe wielded by a co-worker in 1998.

The Compensation Board report said bone fragments had to be removed from Mr.

Talbot's skull and the area patched over.

Supermarket manager Anthony Aguiar, then 46, was awarded more than $14,500 after a brutal machete attack which left a muscle in his back completely severed.

Mr. Aguiar was attacked in 1998 at Harrington Hundreds Supermarket and the Compensation Board report said he was still suffering from psychological problems relating to the incident.