Dundee City Council has paid out £5,000 in compensation after a footballer was seriously injured playing on a poorly maintained pitch, reports the Evening Telegraph.
Gareth Watkins was playing in a match between Carnoustie Athletic and Club 83 at Riverside on 24 November 2012 when the incident occurred. Mr Watkins, who playing as a centre-half, went in for a slide tackle when he sliced open his knee on a stone that he claimed was on the pitch. Mr Watkins required hospital treatment after the incident. He was taken to Ninewells Hospital, where it was discovered he had torn a tendon in his knee that required an operation.
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Following a three-year legal battle with Dundee City Council, Mr Watkins eventually received compensation amounting to £5,000. A spokesperson for Digby Brown Solicitors, which represented Mr Watkins in the case, said: “Lots of people regularly use public leisure facilities, such as football pitches and they should always be in the best and safest condition possible.”
Following the injury to Mr Watkins, Dundee City Council inspected the pitch, deemed it unsuitable for sporting activities and took it out of commission. Since then, the council announced that it was spending £100,000 to deal with the problem of stones rising to the surface of football pitches at Riverside.
A spokesperson for Dundee City Council read out a short statement: “This claim has been resolved.”
