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Bulletin
Yesterday a report was published in the Sunday World indicating that the Court Service had told the paper that the Judgment would be given in the last week in June. We confirm that we believe it is likely that that is correct although we have not been given a precise date.
The report also contained speculation on the outcome of the case, reported to be made by "legal sources". Below is a press release which we sent last night setting out our response.
As soon as the Court confirms the date of the judgment we shall advise you of it.
PRESS RELEASE ON BEHALF OF EDWARDS & CO, CO-ORDINATING SOLICITORS IN THE PTSD GROUP ACTION
The co-ordinating solicitors acting for five thousand Northern Ireland police officers, Edwards & Company of Belfast, in their action in the High Court against their employers, have been dismayed by a Sunday World report quoting unspecified legal sources about the forthcoming judgement in the case. Edwards & Co wish to make it clear that the comments allegedly made by legal sources were not made by them or by anyone on behalf of the plaintiffs.
The case was begun in the Belfast High Court in November 2005. The officers were not claiming for exposure to traumatic incidents because they always accepted the risks of service in Northern Ireland and knew well the kind of situations they would meet. The plaintiffs' case is that they were inadequately equipped to deal with the effects of the extremely traumatic nature of their duties. It is also alleged that their authorities failed to deal properly with the predictable psychiatric and psychological consequences of such duties.
"If the newspaper had spoken to us," said Dorcas Crawford of Edwards & Co., "we would have strongly advised against any speculation about the judgement. Reported remarks to the effect that the action has failed in some respects are irresponsible in the extreme. Whoever wrote them has forgotten that many of the claimants we represent are very ill, and are likely to be very distressed by these comments. We deplore the report and disown any connection with it."
