Compensation for tourist injured by falling Christmas tree

A Prague district court today ordered financial compensation for a British tourist for injuries he suffered when a Christmas tree fell on him in Prague in December 2003.

Judge Jaromir Jirsa said that the city of Prague and an agency organising a traditional Christmas market on the Old Town Square that year were sentenced to pay more than 2.5 million koruna (€88.6m) to Malcolm Tuffin, 56, who suffered serious injuries when the tree fell on him.

The 100-foot-tall tree was knocked down by high winds on a Saturday morning when the square was packed by people shopping at the market.

Tuffin suffered fractures to both femurs and his spine.

The city of Prague paid €13,900 to Tuffin in February last year. Spokesman Jiri Wolf then said the city wanted to buy a specially adapted car for Tuffin, who has had to use a wheelchair since the accident, but he opted for the money instead.

It was not immediately clear whether the city or the agency would file an appeal.