Bouncers who ejected a woman and her boyfriend from a nightclub at Airside, Swords were “out of control” and acted like they were taking part in a “blood sport”, a judge has ruled.
Justice Raymond Groarke said their actions constituted assault as he awarded €25,000 in damages to Eva Hawthorn, 39, of Ashton Drive, Ashtonbroc, Swords.
The Circuit Court heard she had been grabbed by a bouncer at the Wright Venue nightclub on 1 March 2014 and knocked against steps beside the dance floor before she and her then boyfriend Andrew Lynch were violently thrown out.
Ms Hawthorn had been left with a scar after she suffered a gash to her nose, and body bruising due to an unprovoked assault by bouncer Tomas Lukasz, the court heard.
She sued I-Secure Risk Management Limited, in liquidation, of Blanchardstown, against whom judgement had already been obtained, and Wrights Café Bar Airside Limited, Unit 7G, Seatown Road, Swords for €60,000 for assault and battery.
The judge accepted she was grabbed in a bear hug by bouncer Viktor Rybakob and taken to the entrance where she was thrown into the air by another unidentified bouncer.
Rybakob was described by Judge Groarke as “a giant of Celtic proportions” at 6ft 2in in height and weighing 20 stone. Ms Hawthorn was stated in court as 5ft 4in and weighing six stone.
CCTV evidence was submitted of Mr Lukasz making a movement to his right coinciding with Ms Hawthorn falling to the floor, which indicated an assault on her. Judge Groarke said: “It is inescapable in my view that this is what happened in the nightclub and constitutes assault.”
He said Mr Lynch had reacted in a very aggressive fashion, particularly outside the club.
He added: “She (Ms Hawthorn) seems to be thrown into the air quite a distance and all because she has annoyed a bouncer. It was an act of aggression and revenge on the part of the security officers in the simple context of ‘how dare you speak or act towards us in that fashion’.
“It is clear to me that when these people are expelled there is great delight on the faces of the security men involved as if it were a form of blood sport. This was a sport and they were tapping one another on the back and smiling.
“They were out of control.”
