Akef Alquasar - Thank you for taking a brave stand

ANYONE of us who wishes to live in a society where the protection of the law means something tangible and worth fighting for owes a great debt of gratitude to Akef Alquasar.

Anyone of us who hopes that their family can continue to feel safe and that the gardaí will remain in a position to successfully confront ever-more violent and dangerous criminals should ask themselves if they would have the courage to do what Mr Alquasar did.

Mr Alquasar had the rare and exemplary courage to stand in an open court and face a man who had tried to dissuade him from giving evidence against another man — Darren Larkin — who had tried to blow his head off with a sawn-off shotgun.