Prisoner represents himself for assaults trial

A LIMERICK prisoner representing himself in a trial for assault causing harm to six Cork Prison officers asked the jury to look beyond the fact he was a prisoner and they were officers.

Zachary Coughlan, originally from Garryowen in Limerick, denies assaulting six prison officers at Cork Prison on June 13, 2007.

The jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court has returned two verdicts so far: one guilty of assault of Stephen Murphy, the other not guilty of assaulting Martin Savage.

Instead of giving evidence of his own, Coughlan made a closing speech, in which he told the jury: “It seems to me [the prison officers] got together and got their story straight.”