Man settles after allegedly chewing on large stone in wrap

A 34-year-old IT manager, who alleged he chewed on a large stone in a wrap he bought at a Dublin food shop, has settled for an undisclosed sum damages claim for personal injuries in the Circuit Civil Court.

Darren Brennan claimed that he found the stone in a wrap he had purchased at the Gourmet Bank, at Braemor Road, Churchtown, Dublin, in October 2012.

Mr Brennan, from Rathfarnham, Dublin, had heard a loud, crunching noise after biting into the wrap and had felt sudden and sharp pain in his mouth.

After he spat out the contents of his mouth, he noticed the stone, which was the size of a thumbnail. He initially thought one of his teeth was broken.

Mr Brennan claimed that he attended a dentist the same day and an examination revealed that the enamel on the lingual cusp of his upper right first premolar had been fractured. The tooth had needed to be repaired using a composite resin restoration.

Mr Brennan claimed he has been warned by the dentist of a possible risk of re-fracture of the repair filling. He had been advised to take care with hard foods.

Mr Brennan sued James Treacy, trading as The Gourmet Bank, for negligence and breach of duty.

The food store had entered a full defence to Mr Brennan’s claim, denying liability.

Barrister John Nolan told Circuit Court President Mr Justice Raymond Groarke that, following talks between the parties, Mr Brennan's case had been settled.