A victim of a "stupid prank" whose legs stuck to a toilet seat sprayed with superglue has failed in his action for £30,000 damages for personal injuries.
Mr Gary Mohan (34), of Cromcastle Avenue, Coolock, Dublin, could not move off the toilet seat when he leaned forward to get a toilet roll, Dublin Circuit Civil Court was told.
His barrister, Mr Michael Coen, told Circuit Court President Mr Justice Esmond Smyth that two men came to Mr Mohan's assistance and one stayed with him while the other brought a nurse. "She was able to use chemicals which she applied between his legs with cotton wool and she was able to release his legs after a time," Mr Coen said.
Mr Coen said his client had been extremely agitated, distressed and embarrassed by what had happened and had been left with a small scar on his thigh. Mr Mohan, who sued CIE and his employers, Cagney Maintenance Services Ltd, said he was a cleaning supervisor and on May 14th, 1998, was called to CIE's Inchicore Works Depot, Dublin. At about 9.00 a.m. he went to the toilet. He sat down in a cubicle and a few minutes later he tried to get up to get some toilet roll. "I couldn't get off the seat.
I thought my knees were after going on me. I started panicking and shouting," Mr Mohan said. Mr Angus Buttanshaw, counsel for Cagney Maintenance Services, applied for a dismissal of Mr Mohan's claim against his employer. He said Mr Mohan's case clearly was that he had been the victim of a prank intended for someone else. His employer could not be held responsible. Mr Justice Smyth also agreed with a submission by Mr Eoin McCullough, counsel for CIE, that his client had no case to meet in negligence and dismissed Mr Mohan's claim with costs to CIE.
Judge Smyth said: "Neither of these defendants is responsible for a stupid, childish and immature prank meant for someone else . . . I have great sympathy with the acute embarrassment of Mr Mohan but I have to dismiss his claim."