Woman must pay €21,000 over row outside Dublin school, High Court rules

A woman who sat on top of another woman and punched her in a row outside a Dublin school over the collection of children must pay €21,000 damages to her victim, the High Court has ruled.

Mr Justice Michael White said it was a "very unfortunate situation" where a woman who had been assisting her friend with childcare became the subject of a violent assault by that same friend. He was satisfied Abiola Adiyinka was injured in an unprovoked assault by Idowu Nduirbu.

Mrs Adiyinka and Mrs Nduirbu, both originally from Nigeria, were friends and their daughters went to school at St Bernadette's National School, Quarryvale, Clondalkin, Dublin, the court heard.

Mrs Adiyinka, Harelawn Drive, Clondalkin, had sued Mrs Nduirbu, Liffey Grove, Lucan, as a result of the assault which happened as they both waited outside the school gates on November 5th, 2010.

In evidence Mrs Adiyinka said she was pulled from a car by her hair and Mrs Nduirbu sat on her chest and punched her in the face.

The court heard Mrs Nduirbu pleaded guilty before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault in relation to the incident and an 18-month suspended sentence had been imposed.