A 64-year-old man from Dublin has been awarded record damages of almost €3 million by the High Court today.
John Manweiller of Rosemount Court, Dundrum, Dublin, sued the Eastern Health Board for unlawful detention at St Brendan's Hospital, Grangegorman, from September until December 1984 and also for a time in November 1991.
The jury found he was unlawfully detained in the psychiatric hospital and that he had continued taking a treatment drug because a doctor threatened to lock him up if he failed to do so.
In addition the jury also found that the EHB, its servants or agents had aggravated the injury to Mr Manweiller by the manner in which board conducted its defence of the action.
Mr Justice Eamonn de Valera said there should be a pay out of €250,000 to Mr Manweiller pending an appeal by the EHB to the Supreme Court.