A detective garda who fired "blanks" from a shotgun to drive off a mob which attacked his holiday home seven years ago was awarded £171,795 compensation at the High Court yesterday. He has since retired.
Mr John Kelly (59), of Sallins, Co Kildare, said he suffered posttraumatic stress because of the incident. He told Mr Justice Budd the mob threatened to burn him out of his mobile home at Castleview Grange Road, Fethard-on-Sea, Co Wexford.
Mr Kelly was on leave with his family and his daughter's boyfriend when a group of youths came to the caravan park at 3 a.m. on July 6th, 1992.
Mr Justice Budd said Mr Kelly had noticed a deterioration in the peaceful atmosphere of the seaside village and his account was a graphic and rational description of what could happen when a Garda station closed.
Looking at it from an accountant's point of view, a closed Garda station was perfectly rational. However, there was a huge economic and social cost because of the lack of a Garda presence in an area.
He said it appeared there had been increasing juvenile delinquency in the village. It was difficult to value the social loss; the fear among the elderly, the costs of break-ins and the cost of locking miscreants in institutions which might well be universities of crime.
In Fethard-on-Sea, some local youths had become obstreperous. Several malcontents had got to know Mr Kelly was a detective from Dublin. When he heard the noise of the mob he went out with a young man and locked the gate to the holiday park.
However, in the ensuing attack, a dozen rocks were hurled and menacing and threatening abuse was directed at him.
Such was the menacing and fearsome nature of the attack - particularly by six youths who ran after Mr Kelly - that the former garda had to defend himself and his family.
He told his wife and daughter to arm themselves with brushes. He had brought a shotgun with him and "blank" ammunition to train a gundog which he owned. Such was the menace that he had to fire "blanks" into the air to make the mob move.
Mr Justice Budd said he had no doubt that from Mr Kelly's point of view this had been a life-threatening incident and had caused him stress.
The former detective remained outside his mobile home on the night watching over the safety of his family.
Mr Kelly returned to work but exhibited many of the symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Had he been treated, the worst effects of the stress would have been avoided. He lost 14lb and in December 1992, resigned.
His vulnerability caused by the initial incident took its toll and increased as there was a complaint made about the shots fired. Mr Kelly was exonerated but the complaints and investigation left him anxious.
Mr Kelly became so fearful of the seaside village that he sold his mobile home. The incident "got in" on Mr Kelly and it caused a change of personality.
When he learned of the investigation by the authorities into the shots, Mr Kelly said he felt he was being persecuted for having taken steps to defend his family.
He suffered flashbacks, lacked confidence and locked himself in a room on his own. He did not socialise, felt uncomfortable in crowds and had lost interest in his hobbies of hunting, golf, angling and gardening.
He was awarded £171,795.