A road-rage victim has been awarded €8,000 damages against a professional chauffeur who punched him in the face after their cars almost collided.
Mr Niall Devine, an engineer, told Judge Liam Devally in the Circuit Civil Court yesterday that as he drove into Dublin Airport in February 2000, both he and Mr Patrick Hunter had to swerve to avoid a collision on a roundabout.
Mr Devine, of Shankill, Co Dublin, said he had driven his car to the ticket dispenser at the short-term car-park. Mr Hunter, of Edgewood Lawn, Blanchardstown, Dublin, kept following him and flashing his lights.
He told his counsel, Mr David Burke, that Mr Hunter kept shouting at him so they both got out of their cars to discuss the incident. Mr Hunter was accusing him of nearly damaging his €40,000 car and, as he was becoming aggressive he, Mr Devine, had got back into his car and driven towards the car-park.
Mr Hunter had followed him, still flashing his lights, and after parking his car in "B" Block he saw Mr Hunter standing beside the automatic doors at the exit.
"He should have been long gone and was waiting for me and still shouting," Mr Devine told Mr Burke.
"I had to get to an important meeting in London that day and I didn't say anything. Hunter walked ahead of me from the exit."
Mr Devine said that as he drew parallel with Mr Hunter the chauffeur "just turned and punched me" in the face. This had been followed by another quick punch.
"The second punch stunned me slightly, and when a very heavy third punch came in I staggered back against the wall," Mr Devine said.
"When I opened my eyes Hunter was standing there ready to go again, so I gathered up myself and went straight into the airport and reported the matter to the airport police." .
Mr Devine told Judge Devally that Mr Hunter had been arrested and had been dealt with in criminal proceedings. Due to the assault he had missed his flight.
Mr Burke said Mr Hunter was aware of but had not responded to Mr Devine's claim, and judgment had been granted against him at a previous hearing.
Judge Devally, assessing damages, said Mr Devine had suffered the very heavy shock of having been unexpectedly punched repeatedly in the face and had been left with a scar inside his upper lip.