Girl (12) settles false imprisonment case against Eddie Rockets

A 12-year-old girl, who was "falsely imprisoned" in an Eddie Rockets restaurant after some of her friends had gone without paying, has settled a defamation and false imprisonment case against the company.

Judge John O’ Connor heard on Wednesday in the Circuit Civil court, that Courtney McCabe of Fitzgibbon Court, Fitzgibbon Street, Dublin 1 had been eating out with friends on June 1st 2017, in the Eddie Rockets on Parnell Street, Dublin 1.

Barrister Frank Crean, counsel for Courtney, who sued through her mother Joanne McCabe, told the court that during the course of their meal one of Courtney's friends had spilled food on her dress and had left with some of the group to find her mother.

Mr Crean said that when Courtney had tried to leave the restaurant after paying for her own meal, she had been blocked by members of staff who told her she could not leave until her friends had come back and paid for their meals.

The court heard that Courtney and her friends had requested to pay separately for their food when they had first given their orders to a member of staff. However, two employees had blocked Courtney’s path when she had tried to leave.

Mr Crean said that Courtney, who had made her confirmation the day before the incident, maintained two of the defendant’s employees had screamed at her when she had been trying to exit the premises.

He said at this point Courtney, who is now 15 years old, had offered to pay for her friends’ meals but had been told she could not do that.

Mr Crean said in his opinion that Courtney had then borrowed a phone and had called her mother. He said that before Courtney’s mother arrived her companions had returned and paid for their food.

When Courtney’s mother arrived she had a heated conversation with one of the employees who had prevented her daughter from leaving and had spoken to a manager on the phone the following day.

Mr Crean told Judge O’Connor that the defendant had made a settlement offer of €7,500 which he had been happy to recommend to the court.

Judge O’Conner, before approving the offer, said the incident had been unfortunate and very upsetting for Courtney.