Former prisoner sues State over boiling water and bleach attack

A FORMER prisoner has brought an action at the High Court for damages against the governor of Wheatfield Prison for injuries allegedly received when a bucket of boiling water was thrown over him while imprisoned there.

Gary Breen, 31, of Hillview Grove, Ballinteer, Co Dublin, who was serving a 12-month sentence for escaping from custody, told the court that he had to receive a number of skin grafts as a result of the incident. He was released in 2004.

The action is being taken against the governor of Wheatfield Prison and the State, who deny they deliberately and consciously allowed the inmate concerned to attack Breen.

Breen had an eight-year prison sentence imposed on him in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for slashing a man’s neck on a DART train in March 1998. Breen pleaded guilty to the charge. John Peart SC, for Breen, told the court the incident occurred on January 16, 1999, when Breen was informed by a prison officer he was to be transferred to a different landing. The prison officer allegedly told him to “watch his back because he was in for a big surprise”.

While Breen was watching television that evening he was passed by the same prison officer, who unlocked the sluice room on the landing. Seconds later he was passed by his attacker — a fellow inmate — who poured a bucket of boiling water mixed with sugar and bleach over him from behind.

He was also struck with the bucket and fell to the ground. As he fell he claimed he saw two prison officers who were present on the landing running off. He claimed he was kicked and punched by the prisoner for two to three minutes until the officers returned.

The court was told the claims that the prison officers had “legged it” would be denied. Breen was subsequently taken to St James’s Hospital where he remained for a month and received a number of skin grafts.

The hearing before Mr Justice Paul Gilligan continues today.