Unarmed gardaí 'are like lambs to the slaughter' when facing armed perpetrators

Gardaí arriving at Letterkenny Circuit Court for the sentencing of Stephen Dowling on Tuesday. Picture: NW Newspix

Unarmed gardaí are like "lambs to the slaughter" when confronted by violent and sometimes armed aggressors.

That is according to the Garda Representative Association (GRA) after a man was jailed on Tuesday in connection with an hour-long rifle rampage. One member of an armed response unit told at Tuesday's sentencing hearing how he eventually managed to subdue the perpetrator and said he thought he would never see his family again.