Garda Hero Awarded 100,000 Euros for Stab Injury

A Garda officer, who was injured trying to disarm a crazed knifeman, has been awarded 100,000 Euros for the physical and psychological injuries he received during his attempted heroism.
Ms Justice Mary Irvine at the High Court heard how Sergeant John Liston (55) of Mallow, County Cork, and two Garda colleagues had tried to disarm a knife wielding Fermoy man on New Year’s Eve 2006.
The man, whose father was known to Sgt. Liston, had earlier been involved in light-hearted conversation with the Garda officers but, after being refused entry to one of the city’s nightclubs, had produced two knives and started acting in a very menacing way.
Sgt. Liston and his colleagues confronted the man in McCurtain Street and tried to overpower him as he removed his overcoat. During the attempt, Sgt. Liston was stabbed in the side and had to undergo surgery for his injuries. It was while the officer was in Cork Hospital that he discovered that the man had turned the knives on himself and committed suicide.
Sgt. Liston was awarded an excellence award for his bravery and the way in which he had dealt with the incident, but in court broke down several times as he tried to explain how he had been unable to prevent the man from killing himself. The court heard that the post traumatic stress disorder suffered by Sgt. Liston had caused him many sleepless nights and that he still had flashbacks to the incident.
Ms Justice Mary Irvine awarded Sgt Liston 100,000 Euros for general damages and a further 6,400 Euros to cover special damages and costs.