THE GARDA Commissioner has been told by a judge to pay for a valuable Kerry Blue dog killed in an accident while gardaí were involved in a murder hunt.
The Circuit Civil Court heard a detective had caused a wall to collapse as he searched back gardens in Ballyfermot, Dublin, for a murder weapon and two pit bull terriers the killer had with him when he stabbed a man to death.
Circuit Court president Mr Justice Matthew Deery awarded damages of €3,850 to breeder Anthony O'Neill, Thomond Road, Ballyfermot, whose pedigree bitch Sasha was killed when the wall fell on her.
Paul O'Neill, for the dog owner, had told the court his client and his property had in no way been associated with the murder investigation. Det Garda Salem McKenna had a search warrant for another house and had been walking along his client's perimeter wall when it had fallen.
In a reserved judgment yesterday Mr Justice Deery said Mr O'Neill was a well-known breeder and a member of the Irish Kennel Club. He had developed a good blood line in Kerry Blues and had bred many champions.
Mr O'Neill told the court he had lost a potential income in puppy sales from Sasha of €22,750.