Man told ‘don’t be a hero’ by armed raider settles case against bookie

Customer said he suffered nervousness and nightmares after robbery in Dublin bettting shop

Jim McDaid, of Melville Cove, Meakstown, alleged in his claim that the gunman with the weapon to his head had appeared anxious, out of control and ’trigger happy’. Photograph: Collins Courts
Jim McDaid, of Melville Cove, Meakstown, alleged in his claim that the gunman with the weapon to his head had appeared anxious, out of control and ’trigger happy’. Photograph: Collins Courts

A man with a gun to his head who was told “don’t be a hero” during an armed raid,on Tuesday settled his damages claim against a Dublin bookie.

Jim McDaid alleged the gun had been put to his head in the betting shop of Boylesports in Meakstown, Finglas, in November 2013.

In a claim for a maximum of €60,000 damages, McDaid, who was represented by barrister John Nolan, said he was playing a game at a counter in Boylesports when a number of armed robbers burst into the shop.

In the course of an armed robbery one of them had put a firearm to his head and told him “don’t be a hero” while his fellow thieves waited for staff to give them cash before they would leave the premises.

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Security worker Jim McDaid, of Melville Cove, Meakstown, alleged in his claim that the gunman with the weapon to his head had appeared anxious, out of control and "trigger happy". He alleged that afterwards he suffered with nightmares.

He claimed he had suffered nervousness at his work in a security cabin at the entrance to a business park and felt increasingly insecure but was not in a position to give up his job.

In a defence in which liability for the incident was fully contested, barrister John Martin denied Boylesports was in any way negligent or had breached any duty of care it owed to Mr McDaid.

Following settlement talks between Mr Martin and Mr Nolan, Judge Francis Comerford was told the case could be struck out with no further order. No financial details were disclosed to the court.