Madrid - A Spanish court has ordered a school to pay 30,000 euros (40,500 dollars) in damages to the family of a pupil who was bullied by his fellows, the highest such damages ever awarded in Spain, the victim's father and lawyers said Wednesday.

Part of the evidence was based on a video showing pupils mocking and hitting their 10-year-old victim at a private school in Alcobendas near Madrid in 2006.

The family said the abuse continued for two years.

A lower court, however, ruled that the school was not responsible for the abuse.

The Madrid provincial court overturned the ruling, granting the family damages for psychological harm to the son.

The court decision was "a step ahead in the fight against this kind of problems, which should not be downplayed," lawyer Fernando Gomez said. (dpa)