Donegal Garda awarded damages after being kicked in patrol car

A Donegal-based Garda has been awarded damages of just under €40,000 after being kicked and injured by a woman in a patrol car.
36 year old, Sinead McBride from Largenreagh, Downings described how she had suffered pain in her shoulder for more than three years and had difficulty nursing her children.
Justice Tony O’Connor said during a Garda Compensation hearing that Garda Sinead McBride had developed post-traumatic rotator cup tendonitis in her left shoulder following the assault and suffered pain for three years and still experienced occasional twinges more than seven years on from the incident.
Barrister Fiona Crawford, who appeared for the Donegal-based Garda said her client had been kicked in the shoulder while she was driving the local patrol car by “an aggressive and abusive” woman who had been arrested following a disturbance at a family home in August 2011.
Following some time off work Garda McBride had returned to light duties for a period despite having movement restrictions and pain in her shoulder and neck.
Judge O’Connor said Garda McBride had come across as a genuine witness and had made light of her experiences despite undertaking at least 20 sessions of physiotherapy resulting in substantial expenses of more than €4,000 with regard to her treatments.