A garda was awarded almost £15,000 by the High Court yesterday arising out of a beating she received from 20 youths when she went to arrest a man in a coffin who had drugs stuffed down his leg, which was encased in plaster of paris.
Garda Pauline McDonagh (30), of Sligo, was on plain clothes duty at Westport Garda station on September 11th, 1993 when she received information about a group of youths who had travelled from Athlone to Westport.
Mr Pat O'Connell, for Garda McDonagh, said his client and another garda saw the youths, who were members of a stag party, carrying a coffin along a footpath. There was another youth inside the coffin.
Mr O'Connell said the gardai searched the youth in the coffin and found drugs.
As Garda McDonagh arrested the youth, he resisted violently and abused her.
About 20 youths then attacked her as she was on the ground searching the man taken from the coffin. She was continually punched and kicked.
Garda McDonagh told the court she feared for her life and had sustained injuries to her left arm and right leg.
She had to give up active participation in badminton, football and squash which she had played at a competitive level.
The injury to her leg had caused her great stress and she was in constant fear of aggravating the injured area.
Mr Justice Budd awarded her a total of £14,745 and costs.