GWENT Assembly Members are calling for a review of the way victims of sex crimes are compensated - after a rape victim was offered just £8,250 for her terrifying ordeal.

We exclusively revealed yesterday that the young woman kidnapped and repeatedly raped in a 15-hour ordeal at the hands of Jaswinder Grewal was offered the sum by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

Gwent Victim Support's Frank Smith called the offer "insulting", but a spokeswoman for the authority said there were fixed sums of damages for different injuries.

Now former Newport magistrate William Graham, Conservative AM for South Wales East, says the system needs "urgent" review.

He said: "From my experience as a magistrate, my colleagues were always horrified by the limited amounts of compensation that could be ordered - particularly in a case like this where the victim suffered significant trauma.

"It deprives the magistrates bench of any flexibility because there are certain rates for certain injuries. There should be a range to choose from."

Mr Graham also said that someone who loses a tooth would get the same amount of compensation - whether it was caused by a single punch or a sustained attack.

"Nobody pretends compensation can ever effectively compensate someone for what they've been through, but this system needs urgent review," he said.

Newport East AM John Griffiths said: "I can't imagine many worse cases and that amount of money doesn't seem in any way adequate for the ordeal and suffering that young woman had to endure.

"I think that in light of this case there should be a review of the amount of compensation offered to victims."

Jocelyn Davies, Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales East, said: "This particular case illustrates the need for a review. This must have been an horrendous experience for her and the fact he got a 15- year sentence shows how serious it was, but two years later the compensation doesn't seem to reflect that."

Grewal, aged 30, formerly of Garden Suburbs, Pontywaun, Cwmcarn, was sentenced to 15 years - 12 in prison and three on licence - for the attack, which took place in October 1999.

He kidnapped the woman off a Newport street, trussing her up as he drove the white van to various locations across Gwent, raping her at least three times and threatening to kill her.

The spokeswoman for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority said there was a right of appeal against the offer which involves the applicant having an oral hearing.