Leggs night club on Dublin's Leeson Street has been hit for €43,000 damages for assault by one of its doormen on a man who had been queuing and refused entry.
Judge Catherine White was told in the Circuit Civil Court that the club, and its nominee representative Seán O’Farrell, had not bothered to respond to a €60,000 personal injuries claim by sign writer Brian Cleary who claimed he had been punched in the side of his head.
Now, the club and its owner also faces a €25,000 bill for legal costs of bringing the case to court.
Mr Cleary’s barrister Gareth Kinsella, who appeared with Shona Goring of Tracey Solicitors, told Judge White that the defendant, Jalcanto Limited and its nominee Seán O’Farrell, trading as Leggs Night club, had ignored his client’s proceedings.
He said judgment in default of appearance had earlier been obtained against the club and the court was being asked, in the absence of any representation on behalf of the defendant, to assess damages that might be due to Mr Cleary.
Mr Cleary, 51, of Liffey Villas, Liffey Valley Park, Lucan, Co Dublin, said he had been in a line of people with his girlfriend outside the club at 29 Lower Leeson Street in the early hours of 3 June, 2024 when a doorman had stopped the couple and said it was unlikely anyone else was going to be allowed into the club.
He told Judge White that after he had asked why the doorman had then allowed three girls, who had been in the queue behind, to enter the club.
"Suddenly and without provocation I was violently punched in the side of the head and knocked to the ground," Mr Cleary told the court. "The doorman then tried to kick me but my girlfriend intervened and brought the assault to an end."
He had thought he was going to be killed at the time.
Mr Cleary said he had been bleeding heavily from a cut on his upper lip which he had to have stitched later and had been left with a permanent facial scar.
Judge White, stating the court accepted Mr Cleary had suffered an unprovoked attack, awarded him damages of €41,500 for personal injury and special damages of €1,695.
