Compensation claims by the families of two detective gardai, one who was shot dead and the other who was seriously injured during the hold-up of a post office van delivering money at Adare, Co Limerick, on June 7th, 1996, came before the High Court yesterday.
The action against the State by Det Garda Ben O'Sullivan (56) is being taken first and will be followed by the case of Mrs Ann McCabe (54) and her two youngest children, Stacey (20) and Ross (19).
Det Garda O'Sullivan told the court he and Det Garda McCabe had been great friends for many years. i when he was 20 and He was made a detective in 1972. He and Det Garda McCabe joined the Special Branch at the same time and they worked together.
On the date of the shooting, they were doing routine duty in protecting a post office van delivering money. That involved them being armed.
The court heard from his counsel, Ms Maureen Clarke SC, that following the incident Det Garda O'Sullivan, who is married with four children, had at least eight operations and still had shrapnel in his body.
Shots were fired through the window of their car. Det Garda O'Sullivan's hands and fingers were injured. His thigh was grazed but his nastiest injury was from a bullet which went through his shoulder, fragmenting his shoulder blade. He was in intensive care for four days.
He was also wounded on the face and head, with penetrating fragments in his head which came out from time to time.
Dr Una O'Donnell, consultant psychiatrist, said Det Garda O'Sullivan was a reluctant patient when he was referred to her in summer 1997. He was very depressed and in pain. He could not admit being traumatised. He was now doing well, considering his post-traumatic stress.
Since then the detective, who is now on other duties, was in a car and saw a robbery. He jumped out and captured the person. She thought that was the turning point for him and brought the return of his confidence.
His wife, who was a nurse, had helped him greatly. He was an optimist, "very driven and not going to lie down and die as some people might". Mr Justice Budd said he would like any written judgments in Garda death cases.
Ms Clarke said 28 gardai had been killed in the line of duty; 24 of them had been shot. Since 1970 there had been 14 deaths.
Det Garda O'Sullivan will continue his evidence today.