£100,000: The price of an eye
by Padraig MacDabhaid
A County Armagh man who lost his eye after being hit by an RUC
plastic bullet has been awarded £100,000.
Twenty-seven-year-old Martin Toner, of Keady, County Armagh, was shot
in the face at close range as he left mass on 27 July 1996.
In the incident, which occurred while nationalists were protesting
against an Orange march, more than 50 plastic bullets were fired.
Mass-goers and protesters were targeted, and as well as Toner,
another six people were injured.
Other nationalists were injured when they were beaten by
baton-wielding RUC officers.
During the attack, Martin Toner was shot in the face, resulting in
the removal of his eye by surgeons. The loss of his eye has had a
detrimental effect on his life, causing him to lose his job in May
1998.
While pleased that he has received such a substantial award, Toner
says that no amount of money will replace his eye and he points out
that no RUC officers were brought to justice for the attack.
Toner's solicitor, Eamonn McMenamin of Madden & Finucane, said:
``Quite apart from the seriousness of the injuries sustained, which
could have been fatal in Mr Toner's case, what worries me most is the
unaccountability of RUC officers in relation to the plastic bullet
rounds fired. The four officers involved in firing plastic bullets in
Keady all gave detailed accounts of who they fired at, who they hit,
and who they missed. Not one of the accounts relates to Mr. Toner,
which means that had he died, none of the officers could have been
charged with his murder because it could not be proved who fired the
fatal bullet''.
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