A garda who was threatened by a man wielding a machete and was subsequently discharged from the force on medical grounds has been awarded €304,929 compensation under the Garda Compensation Acts.
A consultant psychiatrist who examined the retired garda, Mr Joseph Holland, told the High Court yesterday the post-traumatic stress suffered by Mr Holland was the worst he had dealt with.
Mr Holland (43), Annahbeg, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, was awarded €304,929 against the Minister for Finance for loss of earnings as a result of the incident which occurred in March 1995 at Roxboro Road, Limerick. He was discharged from the force in June 2000 on medical grounds.
Dr Michael Corry, a consultant psychiatrist, told Mr James Connolly SC, for Mr Holland, that when he saw the plaintiff a number of times in the mid-1990s, he was anxious and distressed when he recalled the incident.
He had said there was a melee outside a pub and that a large man about 17 stone and out of control came at him with a machete. Mr Holland felt he was going to die and struck the man with his baton, bringing him down.
Mr Holland said he had negotiated to get out of the front line by getting into community policing. He subsequently went on sick leave and then did office work but all he wanted to do was hide away.
In evidence, Mr Holland said the machete was a ferocious weapon. The incident had stayed with him. He remembered drawing blood from his attacker and his uniform had blood on it.
Mr Justice Smyth said he had no doubt, notwithstanding Mr Holland's efforts to put himself right, he was unable to do so. He was satisfied that what had occurred had serious consequences.