A director of a light engineering company had intimidated a 17-year-old schoolboy into admitting that an accident, in which he crushed his ankle, was his own fault, Dublin Circuit Civil Court was told yesterday.
Mr Richard McDonnell, for Mr David Evans, Kilmahuddrick Avenue, Clondalkin, Dublin, said Mr Evans had worked school holidays for pocket money at the Greenogue, Rathcoole, factory of Mulford International Ltd.
In July 1997 while working for the company, which traded as Vulcan Engineering, Mr Evans was asked to stand on the prongs of a forklift to provide human ballast to balance a load the company was rushing out to Intel.
Counsel said several weeks after the accident, Mulford International director, Mr Laurence Martin, Oldtown Close, Sallins Road, Naas, Co Kildare, had threatened to report him to the Revenue Commissioners about his casual earnings if he did not sign a document admitting the accident was his fault.
Mr Martin had told Mr Evans, now a 20-year-old trainee accountant, he would move heaven and earth, including liquidating his company, to avoid being sued for damages.
Mr Martin had put him in fear, counsel said.
Mr McDonnell said the company had been liquidated but his solicitors, Spelman and Company, had been instructed to sue the directors, including Mr Kenneth Martin, Caragh Green, Naas, to meet damages.
Mr Evans told Judge Bryan McMahon there had been such a rush to get the Intel job out in time that he had been left lying in pain on the ground while work continued around him.
He dragged himself into a canteen where he waited for half an hour before another employee drove him to hospital.
He said although the company had gone into liquidation, light engineering work was still being carried on at the Greenogue plant, which was still trading as Vulcan Engineering.
Judge McMahon awarded Mr Evans £10,400 damages and costs.