A furrier who is alleged to have punched a woman during a protest outside her shop must pay €9,000 for personal injury.
Judge Matthew Deery yesterday proceeded with the claim of Laura Broxson (24) in the absence of the defendant, Marie Murphy, a furrier of A Store is Born, Clarendon Street, Dublin.
He had been told that due to a breakdown in communications she had not turned up for the civil trial hearing.
The court heard that Ms Murphy had been convicted in the District Court, but this had been overturned in a Circuit Court appeal.
Ms Broxson, of Burnell Green, Northern Cross, Malahide Road, said when she was 18 she set up the National Animal Rights Association.
On December 19th, 2009, a group of them were holding posters and handing out leaflets outside the shop. Ms Murphy, shouting and angry, had come out of the shop and had shoved and punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground and injuring her lip, knee and arm.
A witness, psychologist Dr Tony Bates, said as he walked past the shop Ms Murphy had come out enraged and had hit Ms Broxson in the face, knocking her down.
The judge awarded court costs against Ms Murphy.