Near-fatal stabbing sparks major security review in prison

A MAJOR security review was under way at Limerick Prison last night after a prisoner received almost fatal stab wounds from another prisoner who was a known enemy of his.

The badly wounded victim was yesterday recovering at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital where he was treated for multiple wounds which caused a severed artery.

The attack happened shortly after 10am on Wednesday when the prisoners were unlocked. The man who carried out the attack, a feared Limerick criminal, had been brought from the Midlands prison for a two-day stay in Limerick prison in order to meet with family.

However, he was placed in the A wing section which also held a key witness against him in a recent trial.

Meanwhile, gardaí are investigating an incident in which a gunman opened fire with a semi-automatic pistol on a busy Limerick street yesterday, wounding one man who was standing nearby.

Shocked passersby dived for cover when the shots rang out at the main road leading into O’Malley Park at around midday.

The shooting is being linked to a feud between members of the Casey family and relatives of the late Councillor Michael Kelly.

The injured man, John Casey, who is in his 20s, was standing in the street with four relatives.

Gardaí said there was an exchange of words involving another group of about five men who were walking by.

A garda spokesman said: “There were taunts and then one man pulled a gun and started firing.

“He fired four or five times and one man received a bullet wound to the palm of his hand.”

The wounded man and those with him retreated to the Casey stronghold at Clonlong Halting site where an ambulance was called and the injured man taken to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital.

The bullet was removed from his hand and his conditions is not thought to be life threatening.

The garda spokesman said: “It all happened in a relatively short space of time. We would appeal to anybody who was in the vicinity to contact the gardaí at Roxboro Garda Station at 214-342.

“The gun has not been found and we have carried out a full technical examination of the scene.”

A man was arrested in the O’Malley Park area of the city yesterday afternoon following a number of garda raids on houses. He was being held under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act at Henry Street Garda Station.

Gardaí have been concerned at ongoing friction between the Kelly and Casey families in the O’Malley Park area which has resulted in a number of shootings and attacks.

In one incident, Anthony Kelly, the brother of the late Michael Kelly, was attacked as he drove a van near the Jail Boreen.

He has since installed an elaborate CCTV security system at his home in O’Malley Park.

Meanwhile, two people arrested after the discovery of about €500,000 worth of drugs and .22 rifle with telescopic sights in Moyross have been released.

The finds were made during a major garda operation on Wednesday mounted to deal with a feud among drugs gangs in that side of the city.