A man who made a bogus claim for injuries against Supermac's after he deliberately fell in the toilets at their fast-food outlet in Eyre Square, Galway, was charged with making two claims under false pretences at Galway District Court yesterday.
Father of two Ronan Quinlivan (23), Innishannagh Park, Galway, was 16 when he orchestrated a bogus claim against the fast-food outlet on July 16th, 1997, by splashing water onto the floor and practising a number of trial falls before eventually lying down and calling for help. Unknown to him, a CCTV camera hidden in the ceiling captured his every move.
Quinlivan, the court heard, was motivated by greed and jealousy after a friend of his had brought a successful claim for damages against another company and he decided, with the help of two unnamed friends, to do the same.
Garda Denis Sweeney said Quinlivan brought a civil action for damages against the company two years later, on June 2nd, 1998, and the case was due for hearing on January 13th, 2000, in Galway Circuit Civil Court. The two charges before the court for making a claim under false pretences related to both of these dates, he said.
Minutes before the case was due to be heard in the Circuit Court the accused withdrew his claim after his legal team became aware that CCTV evidence was going to be introduced by the company.
Insp Tony O'Donnell said the case might have succeeded but for the strategically placed video camera.
Supermac's, he said, would have been subjected to a severe civil bill and their insurance costs would have increased significantly.Defence solicitor Ms Valerie Corcoran said her client was only 16 when he made the claim with another firm of solicitors in Galway.
He was the father of two young children and had no previous convictions, she said.
Judge Mary Fahy remanded Quinlivan on continuing bail to appear before the court again on May 12th and ordered a probation report to be carried out to ascertain his suitability to carry out 200 hours of community service in lieu of a seven-month prison sentence.