A garda and former Limerick intercounty hurler and footballer has been awarded €94,000 damages at a Garda compensation hearing in the High Court.
Ms Justice Mary Irvine heard that Garda Brian Begley of Meadow Lawn, Raheen, Limerick, was injured when apprehending a man described in court as "extremely drunk" outside a Limerick pub on July 26th, 2003.
Barrister Paul McMorrow said Mr Begley (33) had suffered torn ligaments in his right knee as a result of which he eventually had to give up intercounty sport.
Mr McMorrow said he had undergone three operations on his knee and probably would need a knee replacement. Mr Begley said he was 23 when the assault happened and would have expected to continue playing intercounty sports for 10 years. He gave up intercounty football in 2006 and hurling in 2007.
“It was not an easy decision to take because I had played all my life,” he said.
Counsel for the State said the Minister for Finance accepted that the injuries had been inflicted maliciously but they had exacerbated what was an underlying degenerative condition in his knee.
Ms Justice Irvine said the underlying condition had not manifested itself in Mr Begley’s other knee and it was probable that without the assault, he would have continued sport at the highest level.