A young female Garda has been commended in the High Court for her bravery and awarded 60,000 Euros for injuries she sustained in the apprehension of an aggressive man in June 2000.
Garda Martina Gallagher (38) of Castleblayney, County Monaghan, was just 27 years of age when she had been called to an incident in Grafton Street, Dublin, where a man had thrown a bottle at members of the public.
As she tried to apprehend the man, she was struck on her left side – leaving her with an injury that had caused her severe pain in her ribs and abdomen, with shooting pains into her leg. Despite having physiotherapy for two years, Martina had difficulties with three pregnancies in subsequent years and experienced pain when lifting them after they were born.
Making the award in the High Court, Ms Justice Mary Irvine heard that the reason for the long delay between the injury and the hearing was due to an ongoing investigation into the effects of her injuries during the three pregnancies. All three children had to be delivered by Caesarean section and Martina still has to maintain a home exercise program to keep the pain from her injuries under control.
Describing Martina as “very brave”, the judge awarded her 59,530 Euros in Garda compensation.