Friday 6 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 28924Nervous shock (personal injury); murder (underlying incident) · Co. Limerick · 22 Feb 2010

High Court awards €33,000 for nervous shock after Limerick murder

Daniel Treacy, 35, was shot four times by John Coughlan, 33, at a Topaz garage in Caherdavin, Limerick, on 22 February 2010, and Coughlan was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder. Theresa Quinn, 35, who was working behind the deli, witnessed the shooting and developed PTSD. Quinn later sued Topaz Energy Group Ltd for nervous shock, arguing the company failed to provide her with a panic button alarm used by other staff. In December 2021, the High Court found Topaz negligent and awarded Quinn €33,000 in damages.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court20 Oct
    3 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Daniel Treacy, 35, was shot four times by John Coughlan, 33, at the Topaz garage in Caherdavin, Limerick.
  • Theresa Quinn, 35, formerly of Killeely, Limerick, was working behind the deli and witnessed the shooting.
  • Topaz had not provided Quinn with a panic button personal alarm used by other staff members.
When
The murder occurred on 22 February 2010.
Cause
Gardaí believed the murder was in revenge for another killing in Limerick, but Treacy had no involvement.
Weapon
Coughlan took a firearm from a shopping bag before shooting Treacy.
In court
  • Quinn sued Topaz Energy Group Ltd for nervous shock in the High Court.
  • Ms Justice Emily Egan found Topaz acted negligently and in breach of its statutory duty of care.
Sentence
  • The High Court awarded Quinn €33,000 in damages, of which €3,000 were special damages.
  • John Coughlan, 33, of Pineview Gardens, Moyross, Limerick, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder.
Other details
  • Dr Patrick Doyle, a retired consultant psychiatrist, diagnosed Quinn with PTSD, depression, agoraphobia, and insomnia.
  • The Topaz filling stations have since been taken over by Circle K.
48 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatTheresa Quinn, 35, formerly of Killeely, Limerick, is the claimant. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatJohn Coughlan, 33, of Pineview Gardens, Moyross, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDaniel Treacy was shot four times. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatQuinn was working behind the deli when she witnessed the shooting. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatQuinn heard a shot, dropped to the floor, crawled into a store room and called emergency services. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatTopaz had not provided Quinn with a panic button alarm used by other staff members. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatQuinn had casually spoken to Treacy just before Coughlan shot him. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatGardaí believe the murder was in revenge for another killing, but Treacy had no involvement. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDr Patrick Doyle, a retired consultant psychiatrist, treated Quinn and diagnosed her with PTSD, depression, agoraphobia and insomnia. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDr Doyle disagreed with another doctor's report that Quinn was unlikely to suffer long-term effects. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDr Doyle supported the claim that Quinn's terror was prolonged by having to use her personal mobile phone in the absence of a panic button. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatTopaz provided counselling for Quinn and other staff, checked in with her regularly, and placed her on paid leave for a month. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatTheresa Quinn, 35, formerly of Killeely, Limerick, is the plaintiff claiming psychological injuries. (limerickpost.ie)
  • whatQuinn witnessed Coughlan take a firearm from a shopping bag and shoot Treacy in the head and body. (limerickpost.ie)
  • whatTopaz had not provided Quinn with a panic button personal alarm used by other staff members. (limerickpost.ie)
  • whatA garda witness told the court Coughlan appeared inexperienced with a gun and emptied live rounds onto the floor each time he fired. (limerickpost.ie)
  • whatDr Patrick Doyle, a retired consultant psychiatrist, diagnosed Quinn with PTSD, depression, agoraphobia, and insomnia. (limerickpost.ie)
  • whatQuinn still suffers psychological effects eleven years on from the murder. (limerickpost.ie)
  • whatThe panic alarms were monitored by a private company who would have to contact gardaí in an emergency. (limerickpost.ie)
  • whatGardaí arrived in response to a phone call from a passer-by who heard shots. (limerickpost.ie)
  • whatQuinn returned to work at another Topaz location several months after the murder. (limerickpost.ie)
  • whatQuinn developed PTSD after witnessing a man being shot in the head at the garage where she worked. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatJohn Coughlan, 33, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatQuinn returned to work around six months after the incident at a different Limerick filling station. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatQuinn is agoraphobic and unable to go to the shops alone. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatQuinn is vulnerable to relapse in the future. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDaniel Treacy was a bread delivery man known to Quinn. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatQuinn's colleague vaulted over the counter and left the shop seemingly without activating the panic alarm. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatQuinn was left alone with the assailant and could not activate the panic alarm at the till area. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatQuinn crawled to the cloakroom to access her phone and heard more shots being fired. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatQuinn stated she thought she was going to die. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatQuinn said she had never at any stage been given a panic alarm. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThere was no evidence of staff training on panic alarms. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatMedical evidence indicated a panic alarm would have resulted in less serious injuries. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe murder took place at the Topaz garage in Caherdavin, Limerick. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe murder occurred on 22 February 2010. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeGardaí believed the murder was in revenge for another killing in Limerick, but Treacy had no involvement. (limerickpost.ie)
  • weaponCoughlan took a gun out of a bag before shooting Treacy. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtFootage of the murder was shown in the High Court as part of the personal injuries case. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtQuinn is suing Topaz Energy Group Ltd for psychological injuries. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe case was still ongoing at the time of reporting. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtVideo footage of the murder was shown in the High Court during the personal injury case. (limerickpost.ie)
  • courtThe case is ongoing. (limerickpost.ie)
  • courtThe High Court awarded €33,000 in damages to Theresa Quinn. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMs Justice Emily Egan found Topaz acted negligently and in breach of its statutory duty of care. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceJohn Coughlan, 33, of Pineview Gardens, Moyross, Limerick, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder. (limerickpost.ie)
  • sentenceOf the €33,000 award, €3,000 were special damages. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe Topaz filling stations have since been taken over by Circle K. (limerickpost.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 3 Dec2021
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Woman who witnessed a murder at the garage where she worked awarded €33,000

    High Court judgment awarding €33,000 in damages to Theresa Quinn for aggravated PTSD after witnessing the 2010 murder of Daniel Treacy at a Topaz Energy garage; Topaz found negligent for failing to provide a mobile panic alarm.

    victim, Theresa Quinn, 35, female, irish (judged from name)Theresa Quinnvictim, Daniel Treacy, 35, male, irish (judged from name)Daniel Treacyconvicted, John Coughlan, 33, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Coughlan
  2. 22 Oct2021
    In courtlimerickpost.ie, its first report
    Video footage of Limerick murder shown to court during personal injury case against Topaz

    Video footage of the murder was shown to the court; Quinn gave detailed evidence of witnessing the shooting and her efforts to raise the alarm; Dr Patrick Doyle testified to her PTSD diagnosis; legal arguments centred on the absence of a panic button and foreseeability of the murder.

    victim, Theresa Quinn, 35, female, irish (judged from name)Theresa Quinnvictim, Daniel Treacy, 35, male, irish (judged from name)Daniel Treacysuspect, John Coughlan, 33, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Coughlan
  3. 20 Oct2021
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Woman feared she was ‘going to die’ after witnessing murder in filling station

    Reports on Quinn's trial testimony including her account of witnessing the shooting, the absence of a panic button, Dr Patrick Doyle's expert evidence on her PTSD diagnosis, and Topaz's defence that the murder was 'totally unforeseeable'. The case was still ongoing.

    victim, Theresa Quinn, 35, female, irish (judged from name)Theresa Quinnvictim, Daniel Treacy, 35, male, irish (judged from name)Daniel Treacyconvicted, John Coughlan, 33, male, named, irish (judged from name)John Coughlan