THREE gardai who confronted a gang of robbers in central Dublin two years ago have received the highest award for garda courage.
Sgt Sean Ward and Gardai Peter O'Connor and Marcus Hand, from Store Street station, were presented with the Scott Gold Medal award at a ceremony in the Garda College, Templemore, Co Tipperary, by the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, yesterday.
During the confrontation Garda O'Connor received a gunshot wound to his knee. His leg was saved after prolonged surgery.
All three gardai were unarmed when they confronted members of the gang, most of whom were from Ballyfermot, as they attempted to snatch pub takings which were being lodged at a night safe in Capel Street in March 1995.
A shot from a sawn off shotgun was fired at Garda O'Connor (35), who is married with two young children. Garda O'Connor, who has served at Store Street since joining the force in 1987, was previously a national league basketball player.
The three officers received awards for displaying "exceptional courage and heroism involving risk to life in the execution off duty". Details of the incident in, which the gang was confronted were withheld from the officers" citation yesterday as charges are still before the courts.
Four other officers who also confronted armed robbers received bronze Scott Medal awards yesterday. Sgt Michael Whelan (29), from Pearse Street station, and Sgt Seamus Nolan, from Irishtown station, received an award for their role in disarming a man armed with a rifle in Maryland in Dublin, in October 1994.
Both officers had stopped a car with three men inside. Two of the occupants jumped out and ran.
Sgt Whelan noticed that a third man in the rear had pulled a rifle from a bag and pointed it at the officers.
Their citation said both officers "tackled the youth and a violent struggle ensued. Sergeants Whelan and Nolan subdued the youth and recovered the rifle which had been stolen earlier from the city centre. On examination it was found that the gun was fully operational but was not loaded at the time."
Garda Marcus de Long, from Harcourt Square station, Dublin, received the Bronze Scott Medal for disarming and arresting a robber apparently armed with a handgun outside a bank in O'Connell Street in August 1995. Garda de Long, a former Cork under 21 Gaelic footballer and All Ireland Colleges rugby winner, saw the robber running from the National Irish Bank and tackled him.
In the struggle it appeared that the gun was discharged but this burned out to be a charge detonating inside the stolen cash security bag. The gun turned out to be an imitation firearm.
Garda Christopher Bonar, from Clondalkin station, and three colleagues confronted a gang of four armed thieves at Glencullen Park in April, 1994. Garda Bonar, a Tipperary senior hurling player, tackled the thief who was armed with a sawn off shotgun.