Two young children who witnessed a savage dog attack on their mother, Mrs. Bernadette O’Leary, are to receive €75,000 between them for trauma and shock as part of the overal settlement. Mrs. O’Leary was staying in a relative’s house in Waterfall, Co Cork. Another relative was responsible for looking after three collie dogs in the back garden.
It was alleged that Mrs. O’Leary was attacked by the three dogs in the back garden, although the house owners claimed that O’Leary had been told to not use the back garden and was therefore tresspassing at the time. It was claimed that the attack resulted in lip and arm injuries that were witnessed by two young children. One of the children kept a part of Mrs. O’Leary’s lip on ice in the hope that it could be stitched back on. The children were not injured in the incident but are to receive €75,000 between them for the trauma and shock of seeing their mother attacked.
There was no admission of liability with the settlement.