A former garda who has had to leave the force after he was beaten by several people in Dundalk seven years ago was awarded £309,000 under the Garda Compensation Acts in the High Court yesterday.
Mr Justice Budd held there was a link between the assault on Mr Thomas Forde (36), of Blackrock, Co Louth, and his suffering from an overactive thyroid. The Garda authorities had conceded he should be granted a special pension.
The judge was critical that Mr Forde had to apply to the courts to have the Minister for Justice issue him with an authorisation to bring the compensation claim.
