This is just plain stupid

ringo747 · 29 Jul 2010 at 15:36

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10785859

A five-year-old Irish boy who was wrongly accused of stealing a bag of crisps has won 7,500 euros damages for defamation of character.

What a joke - how can a 5 year old seriously be awarded this kind of cash for "suffering distress and inconvenience".

"The Circuit Civil Court also heard that the action of the shop assistant in grabbing the boy's arm amounted to false imprisonment and assault."

Some things in this world are just plain stupid.

edscdk · 29 Jul 2010 at 15:37

its got to be made up surely?

Cosimo · 29 Jul 2010 at 15:42

edscdk said:
its got to be made up surely?

To be sure to be sure.

Jono · 29 Jul 2010 at 15:42

it IS in ireland....

Metatron · 29 Jul 2010 at 15:43

The Circuit Civil Court also heard that the action of the shop assistant in grabbing the boy's arm amounted to false imprisonment and assault.

Christ. :/

sniffy · 29 Jul 2010 at 16:34

lol Ireland

britboy4321 · 29 Jul 2010 at 17:02

I think it's more of a punishment on the company than how much distress the boy had, if that makes sense ..

pooley · 29 Jul 2010 at 17:08

pure madness.

Antar Bolaeisk · 29 Jul 2010 at 17:14

sniffy said:
lol Ireland

I agree.

britboy4321 said:
I think it's more of a punishment on the company than how much distress the boy had, if that makes sense ..

Well Lidl themselves offered the settlement and the parents were advised to accept it so it's not like the courts actually ordered Lidl to pay it.

Still madness though to get so worked up over something so trivial and for such a sum to be produced for settlement.

Greenlizard0 · 29 Jul 2010 at 17:15

Surely a Lidl would have had cctv?

Duff-Man · 29 Jul 2010 at 17:54

Unless I read it wrong, "the boy" (i.e. his mother) were not awarded anything: They started the court proceedings, and at some point Lidl offered her a settlement of e7500. Which, of course, she accepted.

DirtyJester · 29 Jul 2010 at 18:08

.... the mother heard the 'chaa ching' (and it wasnt from the till)

ringo747 · 29 Jul 2010 at 18:10

With a name like Tadhg Mooney its easy to know what kind of folks they are - probably the ones that live in caravans near that part of the country!