A nine-year-old boy who fell and injured himself while "scutting" on the back of an ice cream van has been awarded £7,500 damages in Dublin Circuit Civil Court. Mr John Doherty, counsel for Brian Duff, of Chamber Court, Cork Street, Dublin, told the court it was a regular practice for children to "scut" on the back of Mr Gerry Buggles's ice cream van when it visited the area.
He told the Circuit Court President, Mr Justice Smyth, that four years ago, when Brian was five, he clung to the back of the van as it moved off. He had fallen off, superficially injuring his face, shoulders and arms and suffering post-traumatic stress symptoms.
Mr Doherty said Mr Buggles, of Drumcairn Drive, Fettercairn, Tallaght, did not have an insurance policy on the van and the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland, which compensates people injured by uninsured drivers, had made a settlement offer of £7,500, which he was recommending to the court.
Mr Justice Smyth, approving the offer, said he hoped it would not entice other children to take up or continue with what was a highly-dangerous practice.