A BOY of 14 has won damages from Kirklees Council - after missing seven months of schooling because of a hug with a girl.

He had been expelled from a Huddersfield high school after the incident with his fellow pupil - but was not offered any alternative education by Kirklees.

Now, he and his mother have accepted an out of court damages settlement from the council.

And the solicitor who fought his case says there could be other youngsters in similar situations.

James Wilson, of Ridley and Hall, said: "The law is absolutely clear.

"A local education authority has a duty to provide suitable education for all children who cannot attend school for whatever reason.

"Pupils who cannot go to school must not be denied education. There are many others in this situation in Huddersfield and a number have contacted me.

"It is difficult to predict how much damage has been done to this boy. I only hope he can successfully resume his education."

The boy, who has not been named, is now waiting for a place at another high school after the half-term holiday.

But his mother is angry that they had to go to law to argue his case.

She said: "It has been very stressful.

"He is not a bad lad. He is very mature for his age and very sensible, but children will be children.

"He hugged a girl at school and they called it sexual harassment. We appealed against his exclusion, but they simply left us for many, many months.

"I hope now he can pick up on all he has missed, but it will be hard.

"They did not let him have any schoolwork while he was suspended. I felt very hurt that my child had been abandoned."

A judicial review was launched in the High Court last month, but when papers were served on the council officials took steps to find a place for the boy.

Mr Wilson said: "The convention on Human Rights provides no person shall be denied the right to education.

"This child missed important Key Stage 3 work and will have to choose his GCSE options having been out of school for seven months.

"It is staggering that Kirklees did not respond to the threat of legal proceedings."

No-one from Kirklees was available to comment.