A child psychiatrist has told a court how the adolescent development of a woman taking legal action over bullying was "scuppered" by her tormentors.

Caroline Newby, 20, alleges her school failed to protect her.

Miss Newby is seeking damages of �50,000 from Durham County Council and the governors of Shotton Hall Secondary School, Peterlee, after she was allegedly targeted as a pupil, by a gang of girls.

Teesside County Court heard Dr Peter Taylor describe Miss Newby's difficulty developing independence or trusting relationships with peers, following her withdrawal from school.

The female type of bullying which is verbal can be just as damaging

Dr Taylor, psychiatrist

A second former pupil, Jamie Bright, is also claiming damges and will give evidence later.

Dr Taylor, a consultant psychiatrist, said: "The key areas of adolescent development were scuppered and she [Miss Newby] was pushed back into a fairly anxious family.

"The female type of bullying which is verbal can be just as damaging as straightforward physical violence."

'Anxiety created'

On Wednesday the court was told Miss Newby was left unable to manage work and leisure time because of problems she experienced between 1994 and 1996.

The court also heard she was vulnerable because she inherited an anxious personality, and her IQ was in the bottom 10% of the population.

Durham County Council and the school deny failing to protect her.