Girl traumatised by pursued car crashing into her home, court hears

An 11-year-old schoolgirl suffered anxiety as a result of a car being chased by gardai having crashed into her home in September 2015, the Circuit Civil Court has been told.

Tom Clarke, counsel for Nicola Kowalska , said she was five years old when the stolen car crashed through the garden of the Kowalska home at Main Street, Applewood Village, Swords, Co Dublin, striking the front of the house.

Mr Clarke, who appeared with Maguire McClafferty Solicitors for Nicola, said she had been in the sitting room when she heard the bang.

She later saw gardaí arrest the driver of the car, Martin Connors, whose address was given as Room 218, White Sands Hotel, Portmarnock, Co Dublin.

Counsel said Nicola and her mother, Dalia Kowalska, had run from the house at the time but had returned to find the gardaí arresting Connors, who was sued along with the Motor Insurers Bureau which, in the case of accidents stands in the shoes of uninsured motorists and the drivers of stolen cars.

Mr Clarke told Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin the case was an unusual one in that the stolen car was being chased by gardaí at the time it had gone out of control.

He said that while Nicola had not been physically injured in the incident she had suffered psychiatric injuries in the form of anxiety in the aftermath of the incident.

Judge Ní Chúlacháin, approving a €15,000 settlement on behalf of the Motor Insurers Bureau, said the court was satisfied Nicola had suffered nervous shock at the time and had fortunately made a quick and full recovery.