Murder accused cannot attend mother’s funeral

A judge has refused a Dublin prisoner, who is co-accused with his sister of murdering a 63-year-old man, leave to challenge a decision of the prison authorities not to facilitate his attendance at his mother’s funeral today.

Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy heard the Prison Service had refused to provide Kenneth Cummins with a secure escort to attend his mother’s removal yesterday and her funeral tomorrow.

Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC told the court Mr Cummins’s fundamental rights had been denied by the prison authority as he was not being allowed to grieve and pay his last respects to his mother who died on Monday.