A GARDA was awarded €25,000 in compensation yesterday when the judge said he was satisfied he had suffered post-traumatic stress after an encounter with a HIV-positive drug addict.
He was among a number of members of the force awarded compensation in relation to distress caused or injuries received during the course of their duties.
In the High Court, Garda Paul McManus (28), of Taylor’s Hall, Kells, Co Meath, told Mr Justice Michael Hanna that in November 2002, while stationed in Dundrum, Co Dublin, he had chased a car thief into bushes following a speed pursuit.
He had cut the back of his hand when reaching into the bushes to drag him out. He had handcuffed the man who, while not violent, was very agitated. The man had a lot of blood on his hand and had stated that he was HIV positive.
Garda McManus said that while he had cuts on the back of his hand after having grabbed the man, he noticed the blood on him was not consistent with these cuts.
He did not know how the arrested man had cut himself but it had transpired he was very sick man and believed to be suffering from full-blown Aids.
Garda McManus said his relationship with his girlfriend had broken up as a direct result of his fears. It had been constantly on his mind. He told the court he had not availed of the Garda Welfare Service as he was only 22 at the time and still working out his probationary period. He had not wished to draw attention to himself.
Awarding him €25,000 damages against the Minister for Finance, Mr Justice Hanna said he was satisfied Garda McManus had suffered post-traumatic stress disorder following the incident.
In a separate case, a garda, bitten by “a deranged young woman” as he and a colleague saved her from jumping off a bridge, was yesterday awarded €20,000 damages in the same court.
Garda Michael Keaveney, of Sligo Road, Ballina, Co Mayo, said he and a colleague had been called to a bridge outside Ballina in January 2004 where a young woman was threatening to jump into a river.
She was standing on top of railings and they had managed to grab her arms and take her down. She had a broken bottle and had been stabbing herself.
He told Mr Justice Hanna that as they were getting her up off the ground she had bitten him on his right arm.
The girl had been taken to Ballina Garda station where she had been seen by a doctor and immediately committed to hospital under the Mental Health Act.
Garda Keaveney said that when he attended a doctor, his arm was bleeding and swollen and showed two teeth-puncture marks. He had learned afterwards the girl took drugs and he had been advised to have blood tests.
He said he became very worried about contracting the HIV virus and had difficulty sleeping at night until finally getting the all-clear six months after the incident.
Garda Keaveney said the fear had stayed with him for about a year after getting the all-clear.
Mr Justice Hanna said it had obviously been a very frightening episode for Garda Keaveney.
A garda, who suffered multiple injuries in a riot in Cork more than eight years ago, has been awarded in excess of €60,000 damages in the High Court.
Patrick Allen (55), told Mr Justice Hanna that, having been violently kicked and dragged along the street, he discovered his uniform had been set on fire and cut with knives.
Mr Allen, who has since retired and lives in Glenmore, Cobh, told his counsel Catherine Griffin that the crowd had turned completely hostile towards the gardaí, throwing glass bottles, drinks and bags of chips at them.
Judge Hanna said the “unruly mob” had turned on the gardaí and when Mr Allen had gone to the aid of his colleagues, he had suffered soft-tissue injuries all over his body, particularly his neck, back and ribs.