Boy who denied putting foot through glass door after being slapped by girl withdraws €60k claim

Gregory Akinsanya, now aged 22, told Judge James McCourt in the Circuit Civil Court he had pushed the glass panel of a door at Balbriggan Community College with his foot because he had books in one hand and a schoolbag in the other.

Akinsanya, of Ard Gillen Drive, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, claimed the glass had broken and lacerated his leg.

Cross-examined by barrister Shane English for the school, Akinsanya denied he followed up some banter with a couple of girls in a corridor by going into class and making an unfortunate comment to one of them.

“You made a threat against her boyfriend and she slapped you on the face which embarrassed, upset you, made you angry and you stormed out of class in a temper and kicked and smashed a glass panel in a door injuring your leg,” Mr English told Akinsanya. He denied counsel’s suggestion.

Mr English, who appeared with Dillon Eustace Solicitors, told him a teacher would say he heard a bang and thought Akinsanya had punched a locker in anger in the corridor but another student had seen blood running from his trouser leg and taken him to another room.

“It would be fair to say you are known as someone with a bit of a temper who took a scunner to the door and put your foot through the wire meshed glass,” Mr English said. “You have been suspended once or twice for showing temper.”

Mr Akinsanya denied he had kicked the glass out of anger and said it had broken when he had put his foot against it to push open the door. He had not used the brass kick panel and finger panels on the door because he had books in one hand and his bag in the other.

He denied having been upset, embarrassed and angry because the girl had slapped him in the classroom. He had sued the college, which is in Pine Ridge, Chapel Street, Balbriggan, for damages on the basis of negligence on its part.

When Judge McCourt suggested that both legal teams should “have a conversation with each other” he rose for several minutes. When the court sat again he was told the matter had resolved as Mr Akinsanya had decided to withdraw his claim and it could be struck out with no further order.