© The Irish Independent

A cyclist had his thumb almost broken deliberately in a road-rage incident.

Scott Alexander Burns, an occupational therapist who works in Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin, said a bus driver bent his right thumb so far back that it tore the ligaments and muscles.

Mr Burns, a father of three, of The Orchard, Greenwood, Ayrfield, Dublin, was awarded €15,000 damages for assault against Bus Eireann.

Mr Burns told the court he had cycled to and from work for 20 years and on August 28, 2009, had ridden up on the footpath at Bachelor's Walk, Dublin, to pass a coach parked on the street outside the Arlington Hotel.

Mr Burns said the driver, William Murray, of Tamarisk Lawn, Kilnamanagh, Tallaght, Co Dublin, was removing luggage from the coach and a number of people were standing around waiting for their bags.

He said Murray had started shouting at him. Following an exchange of words Murray had shoved his chest up against his.

Mr Burns had gone around to the front of the coach and had pictured the registration on his phone before taking a photograph of Murray.

"He knocked my phone out of my hand and when I went to pick it up, he grabbed my wrist and pinned my right thumb back all the way," Mr Burns told the court.

The court heard Mr Burns had been unable to serve Murray with notice of trial because he was in prison. Mr Burns wished to proceed only against Bus Eireann.

- Ray Managh