Prison officers may strike over fears for their safety

PRISON officers at Mountjoy could strike within weeks over fears for their safety due to the decision to house dangerous prisoners in a separation unit in the facility.

Yesterday, officers stopped work for four hours after the Irish Prison Service (IPS) pressed ahead with plans to return violent criminal Leroy Dumbrell to the prison from Castlerea Prison.

Dumbrell had been transferred to the Roscommon prison from Mountjoy “on punishment” following a violent incident in December 2009. According to the prison service, on completion of that “punishment”, he remained in Castlerea in the Challenging Behaviour Unit “for his own protection”.