A FORMER police marksman is claiming £250,000 in damages from Gwent's chief constable for his treatment following the Newbridge robbery shooting.

Retired police constable Andrew David Hurley, aged 34, from Newport, a former armed response unit officer, shot robber Gemelattin Ortancil, 19, after an armed robbery at the HSBC bank in Newbridge, on October 26, 2000.

Ortancil was shot in the shoulder and later sentenced to 11 years in youth custody. Mr Hurley, a father of two, told Cardiff county court yesterday that he suffered a psychiatric disorder following the incident because there was not post-incident procedure in place to help him cope.

He is suing Chief Constable Keith Turner for a breach of the duty of care. Nigel Cooksley, QC, representing Mr Hurley, said that Gwent Police did not have any post-incident procedures in place at the time.

Mr Cooksley told the court senior officers had no idea what to do as far as post-incident procedures were concerned, and were "running around like headless chickens".

Mr Hurley told the court he had been separated from the two colleagues with whom he attended the incident for an hour, was asked to give a blood sample, and swabs were taken from his face.

He said he was also asked to remove his clothes and wear a white paper suit, although he refused.

He said most of all he had needed a debriefing, and that he and his colleagues repeatedly asked for one.

He said: "There were many, many things I needed to get off my chest and vent. I felt I did my job very, very well, but other officers on that day didn't perform as they should have done for whatever reason, and I wanted to highlight those feelings."

A debriefing was organised for January 5, 2001, but Mr Hurley said he had only found out about it two days before and could not attend.

Asked by Neil Moody, representing Gwent Constabulary, whether he had been offered counselling by Superintendent Joy Lott, Mr Hurley admitted that he refused it.

He said: "Police officers who have problems are referred to as 'head gone bang', 'lost the plot,' or 'thrown a double six'."

PC David Gareth Hayward, a firearms officer for ten years who attended the incident, said of Mr Hurley: "He carried on working normally but I think he was suppressing his feelings and none of us were clever enough to spot it. He wore a mask, he was trying to front it out. "Had there been a post-incident procedure in place I would still be working with him. "We were constantly asking to see Andrew Hurley. We knew he must be in an absolute state of shock, beside himself with worry.

"He would have obviously have wanted to speak to us." PC Hayward said they were allowed to see Mr Hurley about an hour later but it was "too little too late".

He said they were asked for blood samples and told if they did not oblige powers may be invoked to take blood by force.

Asked by Neil Moody representing Gwent Constabulary if Superintendent Joy Lott later made it clear there was no question of them being arrested Mr Hayward said yes. Mr Hayward said the three of them were told not to talk about the incident.

PICTURED: Andrew Hurley pictured by the Argus in 1999

Proceeding.