Three sisters were injured in a CS gas attack by a prisoner attempting to escape during a hospital visit, the Circuit Civil Court was told yesterday.
Pat O'Connell, counsel for the women, said they had been comforting their mother in Tallaght hospital when the dramatic escape attempt by the prisoner was made before stunned staff, patients and visitors.
Christina Kelly, Bernadette Byrne and Ann Glover told Circuit Court president, Mr Justice Matthew Deery, the hospital ward had to be evacuated as the gas spread.
"My semi-conscious mother and other patients were dragged out into the hospital grounds," Ms Byrne of Davitt Terrace, Drimnagh, Dublin, said.
"I had attempted to open windows but was unable to do so," she said
Ms Byrne (53) had been by the bedside of her mother with sisters Ms Kelly (45) of Lissadell Green, Drimnagh, Dublin, and Ms Glover (57) of Greenfort Avenue, Clondalkin, Dublin, when the attack happened.
Mr O'Connell told the court that a prisoner from Wheatfield Prison had been taken to the hospital at about 4pm on May 13th, 2004, allegedly for treatment. While in the hospital with prison officers he had asked to go to the toilet.
"Unknown to anyone, some- one else had earlier planted a canister of CS gas in the toilet and the prisoner used this to spray the faces of the prison officers accompanying him," Mr O'Connell said.
He said his unfortunate clients had been affected by the gas and patients had to be evacuated from the nearby ward. The prisoner failed in the escape attempt.
Micheál Ó Scanail, counsel for the Minister for Justice, said liability for the gas attack had been conceded by the Minister, saving the injured sisters the trauma of any detailed recall of the attack.
The court was being asked to assess compensation for the injuries they had suffered.
Mr O'Connell told the court all three sisters had suffered from stinging eyes and noses and had developed sore throats.
They had required medical treatment for quite some time after the incident and all three had received psychological treatment. Mr O'Connell said Ms Glover had suffered nose bleeds and continued to suffer with post traumatic stress disorder.
Mr O'Connell told the court that during the aftermath of the attack Ms Byrne, despite her own distress, had run to the aid of a prison officer who had suffered a direct spray of gas into his eyes.
Mr Justice Deery said all of the three sisters had suffered a very distressing and traumatic incident and their immediate concern had been added to because of the frail health of their mother at the time.
The judge awarded Ms Kelly and Ms Byrne €6,200 damages each against the Minister for Justice and awarded Ms Glover €9,100 damages.