Pavement fall granny wins damages from Kirklees Council

Jun 3 2009 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A GRANDMOTHER has won her compensation battle with Kirklees Council.

Now the authority has been ordered to pay substantial damages to the woman who suffered shocking injuries when she plunged through a pavement.

Irene Duffy, 72, lost a chunk of her leg when she fell into a hole up to 6ft deep on Northgate in Almondbury, on December 23 2004.

In what is believed to be the first case of its kind, a judge at Sheffield County Court has ruled that the council was responsible for creating a ‘nuisance’ that caused her injuries.

Mrs Duffy, who now lives in Spain, would not say how much she had been awarded.

But she said: “It’s four-and-half-years since the fall and, although I still suffer physically and emotionally from my ordeal, I’m just relieved that the legal battle is finally over.

“It’s a long time to wait, but as happy as I am to see Kirklees Council held accountable, it’s just as pleasing that I can finally draw a line under the whole sorry episode and get on with my life.”

Her husband Norman added: “It was never definite that we would win the case, but in our opinion the council did not have a leg to stand on.”