A 22-year-old man who had his penis lopped off in a botched circumcision when he was aged just ten has had a compensation award of GBP 500k reduced to just GBP 20,000 after an appeal court deemed the sum “too big”.

The unnamed victim reportedly had nearly his penis chopped off along 90 per cent of its length during the op that took place at his home in Kuala Lipis, Malaysia, on 13th December 2010.

He had a permanent loss after medical staff reportedly delayed the reattachment procedure.

The medics who reportedly severed his privates were not qualified in microsurgeries, so the victim had to be transferred to the Selayang Hospital.

The delay meant he was only operated on 10 hours later, at which point all hope for reattaching his penis was lost.

Afterwards, he remained hospitalised for over a month as he recovered after losing 90 per cent.

With the help of his mother, he filed a lawsuit against the government and hospital directors.

On 7th April 2022, Justice Datuk Akhtar Tahir had ruled in his favour and awarded him MYR 3.1 million (GBP 532,409) in damages.

Judge Akhtar said in June last year: “The delay by the medical personnel in attending to the plaintiff’s injury had extinguished all hopes of a successful surgery in saving the injured part of the plaintiff.

“The Selayang Hospital had been informed about the transfer of the plaintiff, yet the medical personnel did not take steps to prepare for a possible surgery.

“It is clear that no amount of financial award given by the court will compensate the loss suffered by the plaintiff.

“All the shame and humiliation the plaintiff suffers as a result of this terrible loss.

“His mother had testified that since the age of 10, the plaintiff has entered into a shell and finds it hard to interact with others, let alone develop the courage ever to marry.

The amount included a special compensation claim of MYR 108,356 (GBP 18,606), general compensation of MYR 2 million (GBP 343,432), severe compensation of MYR 500,000 (GBP 85,864), exemplary compensation of MYR 500,000 (GBP 85,864), and costs of MYR 100,000 (GBP 17,172), collectively owed by all the defendants.

But the amount was greatly reduced after the government filed an appeal that the Putrajaya Court of Appeal accepted.

A three-judge panel ruled unanimously that general damages of MYR 2 million (GBP 343,432) obtained by the plaintiff was excessively high during a hearing on 18th September.

Justice Ravinthran Paramaguru, who chaired the panel, said the amount was not supported by any documentation.

Paramaguru was quoted as saying: “Therefore, the general damages of MYR 2 million [GBP 343,432] is reduced to MYR 100,000 [GBP 17,172].

“The special damages is reduced from MYR 108,356 [18,611] to MYR 23,556 [GBP 4,045].”