Man badly hurt falling into brook after drinks at rugby club loses damages fight

A man who suffered serious injuries when he slipped into a brook while walking home after a Friday night's drinking at a Welsh rugby club has lost a High Court damages fight.

Paul Singh fell feet first down a steep slope shortly after leaving Llanishen Rugby Club in Cardiff in the early hours of Saturday December 10 2011, a judge heard.

He was found some hours later.

Mr Singh, who lived in Llanishen, sued the City of Cardiff Council and claimed that a footpath had not been properly maintained.

But Mr Justice Lewis has dismissed his claim after a High Court hearing in London earlier this month.

The judge, who indicated that Mr Singh had fallen about six feet and suffered spinal injuries, said he was sympathetic.

But he concluded that Mr Singh had stepped off the footpath and lost his balance.

He said council bosses were not liable for any negligence.

"The claimant suffered serious and life-changing injuries when he fell into Llanishen Brook," said the judge in a written ruling.

"It is natural to have considerable sympathy."

But he added: "The injuries were not caused by any failure to maintain."

Mr Justice Lewis heard that Mr Singh had gone out early on the Friday evening.

He had drunk a pint of lager at the Westgate pub and a pint at the Admiral Napier before drinking four or five pints - plus possibly two liqueurs - at Llanishen Rugby Club.

Mr Justice Lewis said blood tests showed that at around 10am on the Saturday, Mr Singh had been two-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit.

The judge added: "The likelihood is that it affected his ability to maintain his footing."

:: Mr Justice Lewis did not give Mr Singh's age in the ruling or say what he did for a living.