Courts

Garda punched by colleague in pub during after-hours drinking session awarded €8,000 damages

Award reduced by 40% after judge found Lucan-based Garda Denis Lordan, who suffered broken nose, partly responsible for incident

Garda Denis Lordan leaving the Four Courts in Dublin. Photograph: Collins Courts
Garda Denis Lordan leaving the Four Courts in Dublin. Photograph: Collins Courts
Ray Managh
Wed Jan 22 2025 - 13:32

A garda whose nose was broken by a colleague during an after-hours drinking session in a Dublin pub was almost equally to blame for what happened, a judge has ruled.

Garda Denis Lordan sued his colleague from Lucan station Garda Ronan O’Shaughnessy for €60,000 damages for assault following the incident on March 28th, 2022 in Ryan’s of Lower Camden Street.

He was awarded just over €13,000 against Garda O’Shaughnessy in the Circuit Civil Court, which Judge Michael Walsh then reduced to €8,000 because of his view that Garda Lordan was 40 per cent to blame for the incident.

Judge Walsh said it appeared the two men had consumed “an extraordinary amount of alcohol” when they and other colleagues from Lucan went for drinks after work in March 2022. They moved on from Cassidy’s Pub to the nearby Ryan’s after midnight.

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The judge, who said the incident involving members of a closely-knit garda unit should never have reached court, told Garda Lordan’s barrister Matthew Jolley he did not think the assault should attract additional aggravated damages.

Garda Ronan O Shaughnessy leaving the Four Courts with his girlfriend Garda Aisling Walsh. Photograph: Collins Courts
Garda Ronan O Shaughnessy leaving the Four Courts with his girlfriend Garda Aisling Walsh. Photograph: Collins Courts

Mr Jolley, who appeared with W&E Bradshaw Solicitors, told the court his client suffered pain and trauma but was also left with a permanent, albeit minor, disfigurement as his nose could not be completely straightened without him having significant surgery.

The gardaí involved are still colleagues at Lucan Garda station, but some have switched units in order not to have to work on same shifts, the court heard.

Judge Walsh said an incident involving Garda O’Shaughnessy’s girlfriend, Garda Aisling Walsh, took place in Cassidy’s and later Garda O’Shaughnessy told Garda Lordan he should not be advising him with regard to his relationship. He panicked and lashed out wildly when Garda Lordan allegedly attempted to throttle him.

Judge Walsh said he accepted the evidence of Garda Fiachra Whelan who, when buying a drink in Ryan’s, saw Garda Lordan towering over Garda O’Shaughnessy at the bar and addressing him in an aggressive manner.

The judge said he would award Garda Lordan damages of €13,385. However, he said considered Garda Lordan to be 40 per cent responsible due to contributory negligence at the time and reduced the figure to €8,031. He awarded him District Court costs against Garda O’Shaughnessy.

A garda officer kept a watching brief in order to report back to Garda headquarters about the evidence presented to the court. Garda authorities were not aware of the after-hours drinking incident or assault until gardaí applied for time off to attend court following the service of summonses on them to appear as witnesses.