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A 14-YEAR-OLD schoolgirl, who injured her lower lip in a creche 13 years ago, was today awarded €30,000 damages in the Circuit Civil Court.

Barrister John Martin, counsel for Lauren L’Estrange, told Judge Sarah Berkeley that Lauren was only 14 months old when she suffered the injury in Giraffe Child Care creche at International Financial Services Centre, Dublin.

Martin, who appeared with Eamonn J Walsh solicitors, said Lauren had been playing in the toddler’s play area of the defendant’s creche on 9 July 2005 and somehow had been struck by the handlebars of a tricycle.

He said no-one had witnessed the accident so no-one knew how it had happened. Lauren, who sued through her father John Paul L’Estrange of Sutton, Dublin 13, had been struck to the left side of her lower lip, suffering a small laceration.

Martin said Lauren had not been supervised at the time and somehow had been struck in the mouth by the handlebars of the tricycle. She may have pulled it forward on to herself.

Lauren had been treated at a doctor’s clinic near the creche before being taken to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin.

“The injury has resolved very well but there is a small residual scar about one millimetre in length which is not obvious from conversational distance,” Martin told the court.

He said a plastic surgeon had advised that there was no necessity for cosmetic surgery.

Judge Berkeley approved a settlement offer of €30,000 from the creche.