Man to pay neighbour €9k over assault

A man who walked next door and hit his neighbour in the mouth has been told by a judge to pay him €9,000 compensation.

Barrister Siobhan Gaffney, counsel for defendant Barry Matthews told the Circuit Civil Court, the assault on electrician Andrew McDermott in Jul 2009 was admitted by her client.

McDermott, of 73 St Conleth’s Rd, Walkinstown, Dublin, told her that Matthews, who lived next door in No 74, had made some allegation about bullying involving their two sons.

“There was a knock at the door and I went out to answer it,” Mr McDermott said. “Barry Matthews was standing at the door and punched me in the mouth.”

McDermott, aged 48, told his barrister, Abdulla Morgan Kamber, that his left upper lip had been lacerated “through and through”.

He had gone to St James’s Hospital, Dublin, where he had received six stitches in a 1.5cm cut in his lip. He had been detained until the following day but he had lost only one day at work because of the injury.

Later he had lost several days from work because of appearances he had to make in court.

Mr Morgan Kamber told Judge Matthew Deery that liability was conceded in the case and it was for the court to determine damages.

He said agreed medical reports revealed the laceration traversed the vermilion border of the lip which made the permanent scar much more obvious.

Ms Gaffney said the action of Mr Matthews had impacted hugely on his life. He had left his home and obtained rented accommodation elsewhere. He had undergone marital upheaval since the incident.

Awarding Mr McDermott €9,000 damages against his former neighbour, Judge Deery said the incident had been an unfortunate one.