Use in Northern Ireland

Numbers of rubber and plastic bullets fired in Northern Ireland 1970-1981[7][8] Year     Rubber bullets     Plastic bullets
1970     238    
1971     16,752    
1972     23,363    
1973     12,724     42
1974     2,612     216
1975     145     3,556
1976         3,464
1977         1,490
1978         1,734
1979         1,271
1980         1,231
1981         29,665
Total     55,834     42,669
Total rubber and plastic bullets

98,503

The British Government pioneered the use of plastic bullets. Used extensively in Northern Ireland, it was discovered they were lethal at certain ranges.[9]

From 1973 to 1981, over 42,000 plastic bullets were fired in Northern Ireland. Fourteen people were killed by plastic bullet impacts, including nine children. Most of the deaths were allegedly[10][11][12] caused by the British security services misusing the weapon, firing at close range and at chest or head level rather than targeting below the waist.

One of the victims, 12-year-old Carol Ann Kelly from Twinbrook in west Belfast died on 22 May, having been struck by a plastic bullet fired by a member of the Royal Fusiliers on 19 May 1981.[13][14] These concerns led to campaigners such as Emma Groves founding the United Campaign Against Plastic Bullets, to call for tighter immediate controls on their use, more accountability after such shootings and even a total ban on their use in Northern Ireland.