Woman claimed bouncer broke her nose in row

A 35-year-old woman who told a court her nose was broken when a nightclub bouncer punched her in the face has had her damages claim thrown out by a judge.

Judge Jacqueline Linnane dismissed the €38,000 personal injury claims of Susan Reilly, of Inver Rd, Cabra West, Dublin; her former boyfriend Darren Dowling, aged 32, also of Cabra West; and Martin Maguire, aged 39, of Ferndale Avenue, Finglas, Dublin.

They had sued Templeville Developments Limited, trading as Barcode Nightclub in Fairview, Dublin, and alleged that after having been refused entry they had been set upon by five or six bouncers and been punched and kicked.

Kerry-Jane Morgan, counsel for the nightclub, told Judge Linnane the trio had turned up at the club after a night out at the dogs. They had been refused entry on the grounds they were too drunk to be allowed in and an altercation had ensued.

Ms Morgan said they were intoxicated, violent, and been verbally abusive. In a full defence to their claims, the club alleged Ms Reilly initially assaulted a security man and all of them had to be restrained with “reasonable force”.

Ms Reilly said the incident happened in Oct 2005. “Pushing and shouting then started but I didn’t lay a hand on anyone. A bouncer deliberately hit me in the face with a closed fist, breaking my nose,” she said.

Judge Linnane, dismissing the claims and granting the club owners their legal expenses, said statements all three claimants had made to gardaí had not conformed with evidence they had given in court.