You one of these Sarge?



More than 5,000 police officers allegedly traumatised by 30 years of terrorist atrocities in Northern Ireland are launching a legal bid for compensation.

The Government faces paying out £100 million in damages if the men and women involved succeed in their case at the High Court in Belfast.

The officers, both serving and retired, have accused the police of negligence by failing to prepare them properly for exposure to horrific violence during the worst of the Troubles.

The post traumatic stress disorder case is believed to be the biggest group action ever taken at the Northern Ireland High Court. It is expected to last until next Easter.

Former Royal Ulster Constabulary officers involved, some of whom still serve in the new Police Service of Northern Ireland, say they accepted the risks of their job. But they have alleged that the authorities failed to deal properly with predictable psychiatric and psychological consequences of at times harrowing duties.

As well as post-traumatic stress, the officers claim to have suffered from anxiety and depression.

Those who say they experienced the most severe injuries are claiming for hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The claim covers the period from when Northern Ireland was plunged into civil unrest at the start of the 1970s, although the main focus is from the end of that decade onwards.

By that stage, RUC chiefs knew the potential dangers facing staff exposed to severe trauma on a daily basis, the plaintiffs allege. But they claim the force failed to act for too long.

During the hearing, 12 individual cases will be set out to illustrate the basic argument.

Sarge is southern Ireland

I knew that

No I'm not but i hope they win they have a very good argument and the ruc where in the wrong

The political stirrers are already asking why these Officers are still allowed to serve and carry weapons if they are suffering from stress.
Didn't take long for them to get on the bandwagon.

Was watching a documentary on this last night and a couple of the officers said they refused to carry their weapons as they where afraid of what theyd do

Case is set to last up to 4 months and is by no means a certainty, think it really boils down to whether or not the court believes that the RUC as were, done all they could at the time to care for the Officers involved.
It's like everything else, hindsight is a wonderful thing.
If won it will open up the floodgates for the other emergency services up here to mount similar claims and will end up in mega compensation claims.

Here is a link to todays court procedings. Ulster television News Report