Garda awarded €19k over bicycle training accident

A GARDA who was instructed to topple over on a mountain bike as part of a training procedure and then broke his left collarbone has been awarded €19,000 in damages at Cork Circuit Court.

Garda John Long, Bishopstown garda station, Cork, signed up for the garda mountain bike training programme because he was a keen cyclist and felt cycling would be an advantage in his work as a community garda.

Garda Long said he had a bicycle for 30 years and never had an accident before the day of the training exercise on May 21, 2007.

On that day a group of garda cyclists with two instructors cycled from Anglesea Street garda station to the car park of The Lough church, in Cork, where they performed manoeuvres on a grassy area.

Garda Long said the particular manoeuvre entailed falling to the left to the ground with the bicycle.

“My feet were on the pedals in the clips. I was told I would be assisted by an instructor in my fall to the ground. The trainers did not do this but informed us how it was meant to be done.

“I fell to my left and hit the ground with my left hand shoulder. There was no assistance (in breaking the fall). On impact I felt extreme pain in my left shoulder and felt dizzy and very sick. I thought I was going to be physically sick and my shoulder was extremely sore,” Garda Long testified.

His collarbone was broken and he was out of work for four months.

Garda Long said that even now he had what he described as a numbing and niggling feeling in the shoulder.

Garda Helena Byrne, who was present at the time, said there was no one propping the plaintiff up prior to the fall. She said she saw her colleague falling heavily to the ground and heard a crack.

Sergeant Morgan O’Connor was one of two instructors who came down from Dublin to give the course.

Sgt. O’Connor said: “I would without exception demonstrate myself falling from an upright position. On this occasion I definitely fell on the ground at least twice.”

Donal McCarthy barrister for the defence said: “Garda Long’s recollection is that you did not.” Sgt. O’Connor said: “My recollection is I did.”

Sgt O’Connor said: “I then ease them down roughly half way for them to get used to the feeling of free-falling.”

After hearing the conflicting evidence, Judge Patrick J Moran said the plaintiff had discharged the onus of proof on the balance of probabilities and he awarded him €18,000 for general damages and agreed specials of €1,000 against the state.