‘I have the utmost respect for Stephanie’: Davitt Walsh speaks on ex-girlfriend’s claim

The man who saved a baby during the tragedy at Buncrana in 2016 has denied making disparaging comments about his ex-girlfriend Stephanie Knox, who has started legal proceedings against the family of the victims.

Davitt Walsh, writing on Facebook, has denied giving an interview to any media source or made a single comment against his former partner Stephanie Knox. Walsh was the man who saved a baby at Buncrana Pier in March 2016 during a tragic incident in which five members of the McGrotty family perished. Knox, who was with Walsh on that day, has reportedly made a claim against the remaining members of the McGrotty family for loss of earnings and other costs. Now Walsh has denied making comments against Knox in the press, while asking for his privacy to be respected. In a public statement, he wrote: "Firstly I have the utmost respect for Stephanie Knox, Stephanie has suffered extreme trauma since the tragic events of that horrible day in Buncrana. "Secondly I have not given an interview to ANY newspaper or media source. I have been wrongly misquoted, I strongly refute anything that has been printed in my name. "I have moved on with my life since that day, in the best way that I can. "Please respect my privacy." The late Sean McGrotty's father Noel revealed how he had received a claim against the estate of his late son, Sean, one of the victims of the tragedy. "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," he said. In a Facebook post, Knox's sister said the woman had thought she was suing the local council rather than the family.

"She was under the impression that the claim was against Donegal [County] Council and due to the same reason that the family were claiming for – algae being on the slipway and other reasons," she wrote.

"That day has ruined her life forever, witnessing five people die in front of her, and her life will never be the same."