A bus driver, invited into a public house and held against his will until gardai arrived, has been awarded £10,000 damages and costs in the Circuit Civil Court for assault, wrongful imprisonment and defamation.
Mr Mark Timmons (26), a former Scout leader, of Commons Road, Clondalkin, Co Dublin, told Judge Kevin Haugh he was passing The Steering Wheel public house in Clondalkin on January 12th last when a barman asked him if he would come in for a minute.
"I walked with him to the first-floor landing where he showed me a picture which had been pulled off the wall and he accused me of having done it," Mr Timmons said.
The barman, he said, had held him against the wall for about 15 minutes until the gardai arrived. He was later told by the gardai that a mistake had been made and he was free to go.
Mr John Nolan, counsel for Mr Timmons, said The Steering Wheel, of Main Street, Clondalkin, had failed to defend the action and judgment had already been obtained against it. Mr Timmons was asking the court to assess damages.
Mr Timmons, who had since moved to Ballina, Co Mayo, said that, as a result of the incident having been witnessed by people who knew him, he had to resign as a Scout leader.
He had been asked to leave a Scout fund-raising function which was held in The Steering Wheel after the incident had taken place, and at various times people joked about his "picture collection".
Judge Haugh said it was a matter which could readily have been settled if the public house had accepted it had made a mistake and apologised.