A garda who claimed he lost more than £42,000 because he could not serve with the UN police force in Bosnia was awarded £62,000 by the High Court yesterday.
The amount includes £45,000 in respect of loss of employability, promotional prospects and vocational enjoyment which, the judge said, would undoubtedly have arisen had the garda been able to serve overseas.
Garda Maurice Sheridan (35) submitted he was first accepted and then rejected for service in Bosnia after he suffered post-traumatic stress disorder following an attack on him by an HIV-infected heroin addict.
Garda Sheridan, of Dun Laoghaire Garda station, said that while escorting the heroin addict to Dun Laoghaire District Court he was attacked and covered in saliva.
The man, who had been arrested in connection with a stabbing, went berserk on seeing his mother in the courthouse. He became extremely violent, knocked the garda to the ground and kicked him, injuring his left hand.
Mr Justice Budd was told that Garda Sheridan, who applied to serve with the UN police in Bosnia, was first accepted but then turned down on the basis that he had suffered post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the attack.
Because of this, he lost £42,111 in pay and allowances which he could have expected to have earned had he gone to Bosnia, it was stated by his counsel.
Mr Justice Budd said it was a very singular and unusual case. He would not like anyone to think that just because they had posttraumatic stress disorder and the prospect of service overseas, they were likely to obtain compensation if they could not avail of such service.