A woman who injured her back when she fell from a stage at a Church of Ireland sale of work has been awarded more than £11,000 damages against the Select Yestry of Sandford Parish, Dublin.
Mr Cormac Clancy, counsel for Ms Maureen Cassidy, Ballsbridge Avenue, Dublin, said his client walked into partly concealed stairs leading from the stage in the Royal Hospital, Morehampton Road, Donnybrook.
Mr Clancy said she had been on the stage rummaging through books and, having selected one, turned to pay for it and had not seen the stairs leading off the stage. She had fallen backwards and injured her back.
Judge Raymond Groarke held Ms Cassidy 25 per cent responsible for not having kept a proper look out and reduced the £15,000 award to £11,250. He granted Mr Hugh Mohan, counsel for the church authorities, a stay to facilitate consideration of an appeal to the High Court.