The Criminal & Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Boards paid out $11.96 million to victims of criminal or law enforcement injuries or their dependants in 2004-05. The payments were made in 430 new and 285 review cases, the Social Welfare Department said.

The largest payment was to the victim of a police shoot-out. The net amount of law enforcement injuries compensation paid was $2,430,515 after deducting the $55,620 interim Criminal Injuries Compensation already paid. The last time that a law enforcement injuries compensation case was approved was in 1999.

The boards received 563 applications for criminal injuries compensation during the year, compared with 637 the year before. Of them, 458 were related to assault or wounding, 78 to robbery, theft or burglary, 16 to homicide, murder or manslaughter, five to injuries caused by falling objects and four to rape or sexual assault.