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''.

RUC pay out £883,641

The amount of money paid out by the Six-County Police Authority for wrongful acts by the RUC is already well up on the last financial year.

Wrongful acts on the part of the RUC include unreasonable force, wrongful arrest, false imprisonment ,or the detention of a suspect beyond the time allowed.

During the period from 1997 to 1998, the total paid out for wrongful acts was £725,804. The amount for part of 1998 to 1999 has already reached £883,641, more than the total for the previous 12 months.

The figure for 1998-1999 includes £94,181 for 74 claims relating to RUC interrogation centres.

Former RUC reservist fined

A former RUC reservist and UDR soldier was fined £100 at Wednesday's sitting of Derry Magistrates Court when he admitted taking part in an illegal Orange Order parade last year.

A DPP representative told the court that 49-year-old Andrew Duddy from Milltown View, Tullyally, was arrested shortly after he was identified from RUC video footage as being part of a 500 strong crowd which took part in an illegal parade through the Waterside area in support of Orangemen at Drumcree.

Pleading mitigation, Duddy's solicitor claimed that his client was not aware that the march had been deemed illegal when he turned up. He also said that his client was also unable to hear the RUC announcements at the march because he was standing in close proximity to a playing band.

The solicitor then assured the court that the former UDR soldier, Mr Duddy, would not be taking part in any illegal parades in the future.

Passing sentence, Resident Magistrate, Bernadette Kelly, warned Duddy that if he came to the attention of the court for any similar offences this summer he would face a much more severe sentence.

``I think this summer you should just stay inside,'' she concluded.

The RUC claim that they are unable to tell how many cases of alleged assault have been settled this year, nor were they able to state how many disciplinary actions have taken place within the RUC as a result of compensation claims for wrongful acts.