A bang on the head at work has led to a £3.1 million payout for a man who said the injury turned him into a sex addict.

Stephen Tame fell from a gantry at work and although he made a good neurological recovery, his behavioural problems continued.

According to The Times Mr Tame’s barrister Bill Braithwaite QC told the high court that his client had a “presentation which can be described as ‘fatuous euphoria’ and has been significantly disinhibited sexually, and a significant question has arisen in relation to Mr and Mrs Tame’s marriage,”.

The sex addiction included an affair, visits to a prostitute and Mrs Tame having to leave the family home in East Bergholt, Suffolk, ‘to get some respite’.

Mr Tame’s legal team based the compensation claim on the belief that he will not be able to work again and that his marriage will collapse within the year under the strain of his increased sex drive.

His former employers, Professional Cycling Marketing, admitted liability for the injury but contested the amount of compensation – the original claim was for £3.5 million.

Their legal team said that Mr Tame, who is currently working for three hours a day, three times a week in a charity shop could recover enough to work 16 hours a week and that his marriage might survive.

After a week-long trial Judge Michael Harris decided that the accident had left Mr Tame severely disabled and that it was unlikely his marriage would survive. As a result, he would lose his wife’s care and have to pay for professional support.

He also thought it unlikely that Mr Tame would work again and said that the consequences of the accident were worse because Mr Tame was ‘aware of what might have been’.