Davitt Walsh arriving at the inquest in Buncrana. last November (North West Newspix)
DAVITT Walsh, the hero who dived into freezing water to save a baby girl in a tragedy that killed a family of five, has slammed his former girlfriend who is suing over the stress of watching them die.
He says his ex Stephanie Knox, who witnessed the horror unfold, is ‘wrong’ to try and claim compensation – adding: ‘I am having no part of it.’
In an interview with Mailonline, Mr Walsh said: “What I feel is that this is all wrong. It has got nothing to do with me – that is all about money.
“I am not interested in money. Stephanie can do whatever she wants but I don’t want any money. I just want to get on with my life.
“I am struggling to move on. Jesus, how would you feel if you saw five people die? It is not nice. I get nightmares and I am struggling.”
Mr Walsh jumped into the water to help when an Audi Q7 jeep slid off the slipway in Buncrana, Donegal, and into Lough Swilly.
Sean McGrotty, 49, died along with his sons Mark, 11, and eight-year-old Evan, his mother-in-law Ruth Daniels, 57, and her 14-year-old daughter Jodie-Lee.
Mr Walsh managed to rescue four-month-old Rioghnach-Ann, who was the only survivor.
The baby’s mother Louise James, who was the partner of Mr McGrotty and lost five members of her family, was not present during the accident.
Ms Knox has lodged a claim for ‘loss of earnings’ as a result of the accident.
She sent a letter claiming compensation to the McGrotty family – although her sister said that she is suing the local council.
‘I knew there was a claim being made against the council and the insurance company…I know what they’re [the family] going through is hard.
‘I’ve been suffering with PTSD ever since that day. It took me a long time to get help because I was afraid to talk about the accident. I just wanted to hide it. I’m on medication and everything. This has just been a horrible nightmare.’
Her solicitor Maeliosa Barr added that she is not suing the McGrotty family – adding: ‘She is making a claim, on the advice of her legal team, against Donegal County Council and the estate for injuries sustained.’
Ms Knox and Mr Walsh separated several months after the tragedy in March 2016.
Her former partner said that he was still undergoing counselling over the ordeal.
He said he and Ms Knox had broken up 18 months ago, but refused to reveal the reason. ‘That is between me and her,’ he added.
Sean McGrotty, Louise James with their children Mark, Evan and baby Rioghnach-Ann
But he said he believed that Ms James, the mother of the children who perished, should press ahead with her compensation claim.
“Louise has to be compensated obviously. She lost her family. I don’t think money is ever going to help her. But if she wants money she should have it.’
He said he was no longer in contact with Ms James, adding: ‘She changes her number every few months.’
Ms Knox’s sister Laura said in a Facebook post she would ‘never be as spiteful to claim off the family’ and stressed that she thought she was suing Donegal County Council.
Laura explained: ‘Stephanie was informed by the Gardai [police] that people who were on the pier that day were claiming so Stephanie went to her solicitor for advice.
‘Stephanie is not the type of person that people are making her out to be all over Facebook and anyone who actually knows her would know this.’
She added: ‘She was under the impression that the claim was against the Donegal council and due to the same reason that the family were claiming for – algae being on the slipway and other reasons.
‘That day has ruined her life forever witnessing five people die in front of her and her life will never be the same.
‘So before you go and give your opinion think of what she may already be going through as it is and that by giving your opinion about something you know nothing about, the knock on affect that it may have.’
Mr McGrotty’s elderly father Noel, 86, has told of his confusion after being a letter by Ms Knox.
He added: ‘It was a big envelope full of legal documents – hard for the ordinary man in the street to understand,’ he said.
‘Then I saw the name Knox and realised it was from the girl that took the baby when she was brought out of the water that day.’
But he said he was unsure why he was sent the documents because he is not the executor of his late son’s estate
The pier at Buncrana where five members of the same family lost their lives in March 2016
An inquest in November 2017 concluded Mr McGrotty died by misadventure.
It later came to light his partner Ms James was suing the council after claiming the slipway at the pier should have been closed to the public.
High Court proceedings began on June 9 last year.
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