Garda withdraws €60k damages claim for back & leg injuries after court hears he climbed Ireland's Four Peaks afterwards
A GARDA withdrew his compensation claim for injuries suffered in a traffic accident after it emerged he climbed Ireland's four highest peaks in a single weekend not long after the incident.
Garda Sean Daly, of Curkish, Bailieborough, Co
Daly, 42, had brought the compensation case to the Circuit Civil
Following the incident, he sued his boss, Garda Commissioner
However, after hearing of his impressive climbs in a single weekend, Judge Sarah Berkeley rose to allow Garda Daly's legal team to discuss the future of his €60,000 damages claim.
When the court resumed after a very brief adjournment, Daly's barrister told Judge Berkeley he had received instructions from his client to withdraw his claim.
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Daly's claim collapsed during a cross-examination by defence barrister Shane English, who was representing all four defendants.
Daly told Mr English he had been struggling to get back to soccer, running, walking, and gym work for months after the accident.
He said he had not attended his doctor until February 9, 2018 - a year and five months after the October 2016 accident.
He also said he had difficulty remembering if he had attended his solicitor before, and on the same day, he had gone to his doctor.
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Mr English reminded him he had signed an Injuries Board claim form and attended his doctor on the same day.
Approaching the closure of his cross-examination, Mr English asked Garda Daly if he had engaged in any other physical activities shortly after his accident.
FOUR PEAKS CLIMB
When he finally stated he had not participated in any other activities, Mr English asked him: 'Have you heard of the Four Peaks?'.
The Four peaks are the highest mountains in Ireland - Carrauntoohill in Munster, Lugnaquilla in Leinster, Slieve Donard in Ulster, and Mweelrea in Connaught.
Gda Daly agreed he knew of them and also agreed the climbs lasted between four and seven hours. He had done the climbs but could not remember when.
Mr English asked: 'And you climbed all four of them in the one weekend did you not?
'NOT CREDIBLE'
'And you climbed them in May 2017, seven months after this accident and before you went to your doctor.
'Why would you tell this court, 'I can't do this and that and I'm trying to get back to doing this and that', without telling the court that you had climbed four of the highest peaks in Ireland?'
Judge Berkeley added: 'Or to the doctors?'
When Daly told the court he had not remembered when he had climbed the peaks, Mr English said: 'It is not credible and I am surprised, to say the least, that you hold a very responsible role and I think you should have told us that.'
Judge Berkeley rose and went to her chambers while the two parties talked outside court. Daly pulled his case within minutes.
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Garda Sean Daly climbed Ireland's Four Peaks in the months after his traffic accident
Credit: Ray Managh
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