A judge has cleared Dublin Bus management of any impropriety in failing to give one of its drivers vital mechanical-defect reports on a bus which he crashed into the rear of a private car at traffic lights.
Circuit Court president Mr Justice Esmond Smyth said Dublin Bus could not make the documents available because they had been removed from its offices by someone on behalf of the driver, Mr John O'Donnell.
Mr O'Donnell, of Charlemont Road, Clontarf, Dublin, had claimed £30,000 from Dublin Bus for a back injury he claimed had been brought about by a brakes failure on his bus.
Judge Smyth held that the accident had been caused by "a moment of inadvertent inattention" on Mr O'Donnell's part and dismissed his claim. He said that in four tests carried out on the bus immediately afterwards the brakes had been found to have been "in exceptionally good condition".
Before Judge Smyth resumed the hearing yesterday he was told that copies of the defect reports had been made by a union representative for Mr O'Donnell. When Mr O'Donnell complained they were being deliberately withheld by the company he was ignorant of the fact Dublin Bus did not have possession of them at that time.