€30,000 for woman defamed and assaulted by badminton player

An international badminton player has been told to pay the manager of a Dublin badminton centre €30,000 damages for assaulting and defaming her.

Circuit Court President Mr Justice Raymond Groarke accepted that as Nigel Boyne wrestled on the floor with another player at a fundraiser in the Baldoyle Badminton Centre his hand came into contact with Jean Denihan causing her to fall backwards in a whiplash-type fashion as she tried to separate them.

The judge said Boyne, Elm Mount Lawn, Beaumont, Dublin, later went on Facebook to paint Ms Denihan (57) as "the evil one of Baldoyle" and a woman maliciously minded towards him who could only be removed with the help of Rosary Beads and purifying Holy Water…a woman he would rid Baldoyle of by burning her at the stake.

“This is a most regrettable case because it involves two people who share a great love for a particular sport but it happens, people fall out with one another,” the judge said.

Judge Groarke told barrister Barney Quirke, for Ms Denihan, that Boyne's remarks on Facebook specifically related to his client. He had not just used strong language or colourful terminology but a very serious description of Ms Denihan as evil to the point of being a witch deserving of treatment meted out in medieval times.

Under cross-examination by Mr Quirke, Boyne said he stood by what he had said about Ms Denihan and what Judge Groarke said he had published to the wider badminton community on the internet.

Judge Groarke said the matter went back to a tournament in which Boyne had not been allowed to take part in because of his status as a Division 1 player. He blamed Ms Denihan when, in fact, it had been an executive committee that had banned him from playing.

Fundraiser

At a fundraiser in Baldoyle Badminton Centre on April 5th, 2013, Boyne became involved in an incident with another player, Barry Dickson, who the court heard was drunk. As they wrestled on the floor Ms Denihan, manager of the centre, tried to separate them.

She told the court Boyne grabbed her by the throat and it was only the efforts of other people that stopped his fist from connecting with her face.

Judge Groarke said Ms Denihan had suffered trauma and stress with loss of confidence. The court’s main difficulty was Mr Boyne’s persistence in “standing over” the allegations he had posted on Facebook and repeated in court as to what he thought and said about Ms Denihan.

He told Mr Quirke that Ms Denihan was entitled to recover damages of €30,000 for defamation and assault against Mr Boyne together with legal costs. He refused a stay on the court’s orders pending an appeal.

Boyne wore a Star Wars-like mask and a hooded jacket as he ran from the Four Courts complex following the hearing.