Royal Navy recruit wins £191,400 for broken ankle

A Royal Navy recruit has been awarded £191,400 damages after she broke her ankle on an assault course.

Sinead Dodds, 26, was only 11 days into her career with the Armed Forces when the accident occurred.

The former hairdresser jumped off a five-foot high platform and broke her ankle on landing, which she claimed ended her hopes of becoming an operator mechanic in the Navy.

She sued the Ministry of Defence for £500,000 after being medically discharged in August 2001. She claimed the injury meant she can no longer wear a skirt.

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Dodds of Newtongrange, Midlothian, told the Edinburgh Court of Session: “I just jumped. I did what I was supposed to do with my arms and legs. I went to stand up and my leg gave way. My ankle just completely went. The pain was excruciating. I thought my ankle had actually snapped.”