PTSD fear for bomb squads
Half the Army’s bomb disposal experts are feared to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
The revelation comes in a report to MPs as part of a probe into mental illness affecting current and former personel.
The Army has about 350 bomb disposal experts.
The force comprises some of the most highlytrained and decorated soldiers in the forces.
Up to 200 serving and former Ammunition Technical Officers took part in a survey which indicated half had symptoms of PTSD – from mild to severe.
The mum, 51, who has asked to be named only as Teresa, said she was attacked repeatedly by disgraced priest Father Gerry Nugent when she was 13.
Archbishop Philip Tartaglia has apologised to her and the Church have paid for counselling.
Despite this, the Church’s lawyers have contacted her legal team to say they will fight her court action for damages and believe she wil l be unable to prove she was attacked.
The Church’s stance has been described as “deeply cynical” by Teresa’s lawyers. Nugent, an a lcohol ic known to v i s i t prostitutes, died in 2010 aged 66.
Police Scotland are probing hi stor ica l a l legat ions of child sexual abuse against him. Teresa said: “I’m shocked and disgusted at the Church’s stance.
“It’s two years now since they f irst advised me to seek legal advice. It’s having a detrimental affect on my health – but I’m prepared to go into a witness box and stand up for myself.”
Nugent was the priest at St Patrick’s Church in Glasgow’s Anderston but was removed after the murder of Polish student Angelika Kluk in 2006. Her body was found under the church’s floorboards after she was killed by serial killer Peter Tobin.
During Tobin’s 2007 trial , Nugent said he’d been in a sexual relationship with Angelika.
Teresa’s lawyer, Alan Rodgers of Thompsons Solicitors, said: “This deeply cynical stance by the Church f lies in the face of their public statements about their belief in, and support of, survivors.”
The Catholic Church said: “Once a claim has been initiated, the case moves from the direct control of the Church and the person bringing the claim and the legal process takes over. We cannot comment further.”