A FORMER armed response officer with Gwent Police is suing Chief Constable Keith Turner over the after-effects of the Newbridge robbery shooting.

Andrew David Hurley, now retired, attended an armed robbery at a bank in Newbridge on October 26, 2000, where he shot the offender, Gemalattin Ortancil.

Ortancil, 19, had travelled from his home in London to carry out the botched crime at the HSBC bank in Newbridge - in the mistaken belief that the police forces in South Wales would be a "soft touch".

Ortancil was eventually caught after being shot in the shoulder by an armed response unit. He was subsequently sentenced to 11 years' youth custody.

It was the only time a Gwent Police marksman had shot any suspect. Mr Hurley alleges he suffered a psychiatric disorder following the incident and brought his case before Cardiff county court today.

Nigel Cooksley, QC, representing Mr Hurley, said his client was not seeking damages for the effects of the traumatic incident, but his treatment by senior officers following the shooting.

Mr Hurley is suing Gwent's chief constable for an alleged breach of a duty of care. Mr Cooksley told the court that senior officers had no idea what to do as far as post-incident procedures were concerned, and were "running around like headless chickens".

He said his client had been trained in what to expect following such an incident, and precisely the opposite had happened.

Mr Cooksley said Mr Hurley and his colleagues expected to be taken to a quiet place to talk things through among themselves, but they were taken to a busy police station and kept apart for an hour.

He said they requested a de-brief, but this was not organised until January 5, 2001, and that, Mr Cooksley said, it "bordered on the farcical".

He said Mr Hurley was not told of the de-brief until January 3, 2001, and the only reason he knew was because a colleague told him in the canteen.

The de-brief took place without any of the principal officers present, the court heard. Giving evidence, Mr Hurley said: "I wanted to tell people what really went on and how it was, and, what we should do to make it better, what safeguards to make it better, and what the force could have done to make it more professional."

The case continues.

PICTURED: Officers at the scene in Newbridge after the bank robbery in October 2000.