Two people who turned up at their sports club in Foxrock, Co Dublin, for a game of tennis found their memberships had been taken away, a court heard yesterday. They had given evidence in a personal injuries case another member had taken against the club.
Judge Liam Devally said in the Circuit Civil Court that Ms Judith Halpenny and Mr Michael Mooney had "unjustly, unfairly and autocratically" been wiped out as members of West Wood Sports Club, Leopardstown Racecourse, Foxrock, Dublin.
Their membership and names had been removed from computer records and their "swipe card" access had been nullified. Judge Devally ordered the reinstatement of Mr Mooney, of Church Road, Killiney, Co Dublin, and Ms Halpenny, of Gordon Avenue, Foxrock, and awarded them damages of £2,000 each against the club.
In a reserved judgment, Judge Devally told their counsel, Mr Martin Hayden, West Wood had considered them disloyal for giving evidence in a court claim against the club for personal injury damages by another member.
Judge Devally found West Wood intended to humiliate and embarrass both members. He awarded one set of costs against the club to cover the two-day hearing of evidence.