A 39-YEAR-OLD garda, who claimed he developed sciatica after being assaulted while on duty, has been awarded €60,000 damages in the High Court.
Garda Padraig Gorman told the court that in January 2011, he had been sitting in a garda speed camera van in the area of Dunaree, Co Cavan, when he heard a bang to the side of the vehicle.
Garda Gorman told his barrister, Frank Martin, that when he went out of the van to see what had happened he saw a man who immediately threatened to burn the van.
Struggle
Gorman said, during a garda compensation hearing, that the man declined to give his name and hit him in the chest. A struggle had followed between Garda Gorman and his assailant, who was later arrested with the assistance of gardaí patrolling the area.
Mr Justice Bernard Barton heard that Garda Gorman, who lives in Virginia, Co Cavan, suffered soft tissue injuries to his lower back and left hip during the struggle.
Gorman, who sued the Minister for Public Expenditure, had been out of work for several weeks and had needed to attend physiotherapy sessions.
He had later developed sciatica in his right leg after suffering a prolapsed disc and had needed to give up his golf and football activities. The court heard he continued to have pain in his back.
Judge Barton said Garda Gorman was a “very fit” man before the assault and his injuries had interfered with his enjoyment of life.
The judge, awarding him €60,000 damages, said he was satisfied that Garda Gorman had a non-symptomatic degenerative condition in his spine before the incident.
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