Farmer sued by bodybuilder garda says 'first I've heard of it' after injury claim dropped

Jessica Feeney brought High Court proceedings against Sean Barron, of Adamstown, Co Wexford, following an incident in April 2018.

She claimed she was hit while on patrol in New Ross by a swinging gate on the horsebox Mr Barron was towing.

The following year, she brought another personal injury claim against music promoters MCD after she was assaulted in Croke Park while attending a Westlife concert in July.

The officer said she suffered severe headaches and torticollis of the neck, alleged her injuries continue to cause her constant pain and said she could no longer train in the gym to the level she did before in order to compete in bodybuilding competitions.

However, Ms Feeney, of Kilmore Road, Knocknaheeny, Cork, withdrew both claims after video footage of her lifting weights exceeding 40kg was shown in court.

Speaking to the Sunday World after learning the claim against him was withdrawn, Mr Barron said: “That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

He recalled the day of the incident, saying he was taking a horse to Limerick and stopped off in New Ross for tea.

“I was driving the car with the horsebox and I accidentally forgot to fasten a gate on the top of it. It swung loose when I went out on the road,” Mr Barron said.

“It was still swinging loose when she was going down the pathway, herself and another guard.

“They came running after me and sure, I didn’t realise it was open until they stopped me going around the bend.

“I was wondering why they were running after me. He [the other garda] said the back of the box was open and she was after getting hit in the head. I asked ‘Are you alright?’ and everything seemed to be fine.

“I rang back the guards in New Ross to see if she was OK and I thought that was the end of it. Her solicitor sent me out a letter then.”

Asked whether he was relieved about the case being withdrawn, he said: “Sure, what good is it to me now? Insurance costs are crazy.”

Mr Barron claimed he struggled to get affordable insurance cover following the incident.

“I had to get a crowd up in the North to insure me,” he said.

The Sunday World reported that a number of videos and photos taken from Ms Feeney’s social media accounts were submitted to the court, which showed the plaintiff socialising, travelling and competing in bodybuilding competitions after she had suffered her injuries.

Ms Feeney contended that the competitions in which she was taking part were more of a bikini modelling nature than bodybuilding and that no heavy training was required.

A video taken covertly of Ms Feeney training in the gym was then shown to the court.

In it, weights exceeding 40kg were seen being lifted by the plaintiff for a number of repetitions.

She later withdrew both of her personal injuries actions.