Irish prisoners serve longer ‘as British citizens’

IRISH prisoners in British jails serve longer sentences than other foreigners because they are classed as British citizens.

Her Majesty’s Prison Service refuses to recognise Irish inmates as foreign nationals, which means they cannot benefit from an early release scheme allowed to other non-British citizens.

They can avail of a similar scheme for British prisoners but only if they remain there for the remainder of their sentence under a form of house arrest.