Former Army captain loses court action over post-traumatic stress

A former Army captain who claimed he suffered PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his experiences in Lebanon, …

A former Army captain who claimed he suffered PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his experiences in Lebanon, has lost his High Court action.

Mr Justice Seán Ryan ruled yesterday that, in his view, it was unlikely former captain Patrick Holmes was now, or ever, suffering from the disorder. The judge said he had been more impressed by the accuracy and expertise of experts who gave evidence for the Defence Forces in the case.

He made the comments when dismissing the action by Mr Holmes (54), St Mary’s Road, Galway, against the Minister for Defence and the Attorney General over allegedly contracting PTSD while on UN peacekeeping duties with Irish troops in Lebanon in 1981.