An unarmed garda who received a Scott gold medal for bravery after confronting an "armed group of desperados" intent on holding up a delivery to a bank night safe was awarded £45,000 compensation at the High Court yesterday.
The court heard that during the raid, in which another garda was shot and seriously injured, Garda Marcus Hand of Store Street Station, Dublin had a revolver continuously pointed at his chest.
He was one of a three-man mobile Garda patrol which spotted and confronted the gang outside the AIB night safe on Capel Street, Dublin at 4.30 a.m. on March 5th, 1995.
Yesterday, giving evidence in his case for compensation under the Garda Compensation Acts, Garda Hand (31) said he suffered chronic post-traumatic stress disorder after the shooting.
The symptoms included insomnia, aggression and bad temper. He had had to receive psychological counselling and the distress had affected his marriage.
Garda Hand and his two colleagues were awarded Scott gold medals for bravery for tackling the armed gang.
Mr Justice Budd praised Garda Hand and his colleagues for taking on the raiders whom he described as an "armed group of desperados". It was an extremely brave but dangerous thing to do considering the agitated and bloody-minded state of the gang, the judge said.
Apart from the garda who was shot, Garda Hand and his other colleague had been put in fear of death.