Brothers awarded damages after nightclub assault by bouncers

Two brothers who were badly beaten up by bouncers outside Krystle nightclub in Dublin have been awarded more than €50,000 damages for what a judge described on Monday as a very disturbing incident.

Counsel for the two men, told the Circuit Civil Court the two had been queueing to get into the club in the Russell Court Hotel, Harcourt Street, in September 2015 when they were assaulted by bouncers.

Liability had been conceded by one of the defendants, Triglen Holdings Ltd, owners of the club, and the court was being asked to assess damages for personal injury.

Counsel for Triglen Holdings, said judgment had already been granted to the two plaintiffs against the other defendant, Senture Security Ltd, of Castle Drive, Citywest Road, Dublin, which provided the bouncers, and Triglen would be suing Senture to recover damages and costs.

James Butler (26), of Glendown Avenue, Templeogue, Co Dublin, said he had been assaulted in a sudden and unprovoked attack by one of the bouncers. He had been struck in the face, suffering what was thought to have been a broken nose. His lip was also split open.

He told Ms Earley he had been knocked unconscious for a short time and had been taken to St James’s Hospital for treatment. He had been medically advised that it was possible he may have suffered a concussion in the incident and for that reason he had given up playing rugby regularly for his club.

Judge Sarah Berkeley said she had found Mr Butler, a student at the time of the incident, to be a credible witness, and she found it very disturbing that such an incident could have occurred. She awarded him just under €21,000 jointly and severally against both defendants.

James’s older brother Conor (29), who was said to have suffered a more significant attack, had also sued both defendants and, following the judge’s decision in the first case, accepted a settlement offer of €31,000. Ms Earley sought and was awarded costs in both cases.

Conor, a tyre-fitter, had alleged in his claim against both defendants that he too had been punched in the face by one of the bouncers and knocked unconscious to the ground. He had then been set upon by four or five other bouncers, receiving numerous blows and kicks to his body and legs.

He also had been treated at St James’s Hospital and, following the attack, had suffered from blurred vision.

Conor was not asked to give evidence in his case.