Man withdraws €60,000 claim against school after denying he kicked door in anger

A young man who denied kicking a glass door in anger after being slapped in class by another pupil has withdrawn a €60,000 damages claim against his former school.

Gregory Akinsanya, now aged 22, told Judge James McCourt in the Circuit Civil Court that his leg was badly cut when he pushed the glass panel of a door at Balbriggan Community College with his foot because he had books in one hand and a bag in the other.

Mr Akinsanya, of Ard Gillen Drive, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, had sued the school claiming the glass broke at the time and lacerated his leg.

Under cross-examination by barrister Shane English, for the school, Mr Akinsanya denied following up some banter with a couple of girls in a corridor by going into class and making an unfortunate comment to one of them.

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“You made a threat against her boyfriend and she slapped you on the face which embarrassed, upset you, made you angry and you stormed out of class in a temper and kicked and smashed a glass panel in a door injuring your leg,” Mr English told Mr Akinsanya.

Mr English, who appeared with Dillon Eustace Solicitors, told the claimant that a teacher would say he heard a bang and thought Mr Akinsanya had punched a locker in anger in the corridor. Another student saw blood running from his trouser leg and took him to another room, he added.

“It would be fair to say you are known as someone with a bit of a temper who took a scunner to the door and put your foot through the wire meshed glass,” Mr English said. “You have been suspended once or twice for showing temper.”

Mr Akinsanya denied kicking the glass out of anger and said it broke when he had put his foot against it to push open the door. He said he did not use the brass kick panel or finger panels on the door because he had books in one hand and his bag in the other.

He denied being upset, embarrassed and angry because the girl slapped him in the classroom. He sued the college, with an address at Pine Ridge, Chapel Street, Balbriggan, for damages on the basis of negligence on its part.

Judge McCourt suggested the legal teams should “have a conversation with each other” and rose for several minutes.  When the court sat again, he was told the matter was resolved as Mr Akinsanya had decided to withdraw his claim. The case was struck out with no further order.