A DOCTOR has sued the State for damages over allegedly contracting post-traumatic stress disorder after a man being tested by him for drunken driving poured a urine specimen over the doctor’s head at Tullamore Garda station.
Dr Athtkar Mansoor (67) says he is a Muslim, that cleanliness is very importance in his religion and he fears he may have contracted a disease after a specimen was poured over his head.
The urine went over his hair and into his eyes and mouth and, despite assurances he had not contracted a hepatitis- or Aids-related disease, he still feared he may have contracted a disease, he said.
Dr Mansoor, Medical Centre, Kilbeggan Bridge, Tullamore, Co Offaly, said he was completely shocked as a result of the assault.
A native of Pakistan who has worked in Ireland since 1978, Dr Mansoor has brought his action against the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Attorney General, who deny the claims.
The hearing opened yesterday before Mr Justice Vivian Lavan and continues today.
Outlining the case, John Shortt SC, for Dr Mansoor, said the case arose from an incident on March 20th, 2002, at Tullamore Garda station.
Mr Shortt said Declan Foran, Rahan, Tullamore, had been convicted in the District Court for drunken driving and also for assault on the doctor arising from the incident involving the urine.
He said it was their case that the sole garda present when the urine sample was provided should not have allowed Mr Foran to carry the specimen container.
That was a breach of the proper protocol and two gardaí should have been present when the specimen was being taken, he said.
In evidence, Dr Mansoor said Mr Foran was giving a specimen between 1am and 3am, he was moving from foot to foot and was very agitated.
He said he was sitting at a table when Mr Foran poured the urine over him. The garda present moved to restrain Mr Foran and put him into a cell, he said.
Dr Mansoor said Mr Foran had referred to him as a “Black and Tan”.
Dr Mansoor said he was “terribly humiliated and disgusted”. The urine “fell straight into my eyes”.
“I had my mouth partly open and it went into my body and into my shoes,” he added.
Since the incident, he had problems sleeping, would wake up sweating and had terrible dreams. He said hepatitis tests had proved inconclusive and, while he had been told not to worry about it, he was not convinced he was not infected.
Dr Moosajee Bhamjee, a psychiatrist at Ennis General Hospital, said he had diagnosed Dr Mansoor with post-traumatic stress disorder.
The doctor had low self-esteem since the incident and had lost interest in his patients.
Dr Bhamjee said there was nowhere in Ireland for Dr Mansoor to go for treatment. He had advised him he would have to go to Pakistan where the mullahs would be able to advise him, help him cleanse his mind and make him feel uncontaminated.