Data centre told €10,000 not enough for girl who was electrocuted in building it owns

Ray Managh

A judge has told a major data centre operator that a €10,000 settlement offer is not enough for a teenager who was electrocuted in a derelict building it owns near Lucan, Co Dublin.

Judge Sarah Berkeley said in the Circuit Civil Court on Monday that 13-year-old Jessica Twamley had suffered a nasty injury when she touched a live wire hanging from a wall inside the unoccupied building at Newcastle Road, Lucan.

“Leaving a live connection to a derelict building near a residential area was extremely unsafe,” Judge Berkeley said.

Barrister James McConnon, counsel for Jessica, of Griffeen Glen Avenue, Lucan, told the court that Jessica and a number of friends had entered the grounds of the property through a hole in a perimeter fence on March 14th, 2021.

Mr McConnon, who appeared with Keans Solicitors, said that while in the building Jessica had touched an exposed electric wire with both hands and had been electrocuted, suffering injuries to both her hands. He said the grounds and building would have constituted an enticement to children to get inside.

Jessica, who will be 18 on September 1st, though shocked and injured, had managed to make her way home on foot, Mr McConnon said.

She had sued EdgeConnex Ireland Limited, which has a registered address at South Bank House, Barron Street, Dublin 4, and also of Grange Castle Business Park, Old Nangor Road, Dublin, through her father Philip Twamley. Mr McConnon said EdgeConnex owned the property at Ballymakailey, Newcastle Road, Lucan, but he was unaware of the state of the premises at the moment.

Mr Twamley, in written evidence, told the court the building had been unoccupied and derelict and his daughter and her friends had entered through a fence surrounding part of the premises. They had been engaged in taking TikTok videos at the time of the incident.

He said that when Jessica had arrived home her mother could see that both her hands had been burned and she had called an ambulance. Jessica had been taken to Crumlin Children’s Hospital where she had been treated and detained for observation overnight.

Mr McConnon said there were three medical reports before the court and EdgeConnex had proffered a settlement of €10,000. He said the plaintiff would be strong on liability and while there was no specific guidelines for such injuries it was recommended there should be a valuation of between €1,000 and €40,000 for injuries involved with scarring.

He said Jessica had been left with marks to her hands which were viewed by Judge Berkeley.

“This young girl has suffered a nasty injury and she has a scar,” Judge Berkeley said. “I do not think €10,000 is enough.”

The proceedings were adjourned by Judge Berkeley to offer the defendant company an opportunity to reconsider the level of its settlement offer.