€15,000 compensation for guard who injured his thumb during an arrest

rod in the apartment and he thought it prudent to withdraw. When he had reported back to the garda station a colleague had taken him to the local hospital where his thumb was manipulated under local anaesthetic.

Garda Hennessy told Judge Twomey he was off work for a brief period before returning to light duties. He had a cast on his thumb for several weeks.

‘There is nothing I cannot now do with my thumb but when it involves lifting something or gripping something it can still be painful. I have had to take pain killers before playing golf,’ he said.

He told the court he had been advised that he should have surgery but had not gone down that avenue. If matters reached a certain stage he would consider having an injection into his thumb joint and if that failed he would consider surgery.

Judge Twomey, who was told that in somewhat similar cases of ligament rupture the court had previously made awards of between €35,000 and €57,000, awarded Garda Hennessy €15,000.

The judge said Garda Twomey had been forced to abandon the arrest and had the dislocation reduced under local anaesthetic. He had not undergone physiotherapy and while surgery and injection had been suggested,