Girl awarded €15,000 after breaking wrist at creche

A four-year-old girl, who broke her left wrist after falling from a slide in a Dublin creche, has been awarded €15,000 damages in the Circuit Civil Court.

Barrister Pat Purcell told the court that in July 2012 Lilly Cullen had been attending Cobblestone Cottage Creche & Montessori, at Newtown Cottages, Malahide Road, when she fell heavily from the slide.

Mr Purcell said CCTV footage of the incident showed that Lilly, who was almost two years old at the time, had fallen several times that day. Counsel said she could be seen holding her wrist.

The court heard the girl had been very upset when her mother collected her that day. She had been taken to Children’s University Hospital at Temple Street, Dublin, where X-rays revealed a fracture of her wrist.

Circuit Court President Mr Justice Raymond Groarke heard that Lilly, of Newtown Court, Malahide Road, Dublin, had needed to wear a back slab before being placed in a full arm cast for three weeks.

Through her mother Clare Cullen, Lilly sued Auctor Ltd, which trades as Cobblestone Cottage Creche & Montessori, for negligence and breach of duty.

She claimed the creche had failed to properly supervise her while she was using the slide, and had failed to notice she had fallen several times that day.

The court was initially told that liability had been admitted in the case, which had become an assessment of damages only.

However, Mr Purcell said that following talks between the parties, the case had settled.

Counsel said the creche had made a €15,000 settlement offer and he was happy to recommend acceptance of it to the court.

Judge Groarke, hearing that Lilly had made a full recovery, approved the offer.