THE teenage son of a garda last night joined hardened gangland criminals, drug dealers and sex offenders on 23-hour lockup.
Jailed yesterday for six years for manslaughter, 19-year-old John McGovern will effectively serve his sentence in solitary confinement, spending 23 hours a day in his cell, with one hour for exercise.
The Clare teenager is under 23-hour lockup because his father’s profession as a garda could make him target for other prisoners.
Fr Peter McVerry, who campaigns for the rights of young people, said keeping a teenager in a cell for 23 hours a day was the toughest sentence that could be imposed on a young person.
"It must be emotionally and psychologically very damaging for a young person to have to serve a sentence of this kind, essentially spending 23 hours a day every day in a cell watching television," he said.
Director of the Irish Penal Reform Trust, Liam Herrick said although it did not comment on individual cases, the practice of prisoners on protection due to the threat of violence was "of major concern".
"The specific use of the levels of violence and the threat of violence and therefore protection in Irish prisons has been highlighted by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture as of major concern," he said.
McGovern of Ballyduff, Barefield, Ennis, was yesterday found guilty of the manslaughter of a 14-year-old Traveller boy Michael Doherty in Ennis almost two years ago.
He stabbed the boy with a Swiss army knife that had been given to him by his grandparents as a gift.
McGovern, who was 17 at the time, was out celebrating the end of his Leaving Certificate exams, when he responded to being punched by the boxer.
Mr Justice Paul Carney said the 19-year-old is "using this situation to continue his studies," referring to the science degree he began at NUI Galway, while awaiting his trial.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Wednesday, April 01, 2009
