POA queries prisoner’s access to its members

The Prison Officers Association has questioned why an inmate with a long history of violence against staff was in a position to slash two of its members and punch another.

The Irish Prison Service confirmed two officers were injured in the incident which took place in Mountjoy Prison at approximately 8.30am yesterday.

One suffered cuts to an ear and chin, the other a serious wound to the top of his head.

“The two officers were injured in an unprovoked attack by an inmate using an improvised weapon,” the service said in a statement. “The officers have been taken to hospital with slash wounds which, while serious, are not thought to be life threatening.

The prison service has launched an investigation and gardaí have been notified.

“The director general of the Irish Prison Service has said his thoughts are with the injured staff and their families,” a statement said.

DISCOVER MORE CONTENT LIKE THIS

However, the Prison Officers Association questioned why the prisoner was in a position to assault the officers in the first place.

POA deputy general secretary said the prisoner who carried out the attack had 150 disciplinary reports against him mainly involving violence against officers. He said the association was hearing the prisoner may have psychological difficulties but he said if that was the case he should not have been in prison in the first place, but somewhere where he could not cause damage to people.

Mr Mitchell said there had been six or seven incidents of violence in prisons in the last few weeks, though not as serious as yesterday’s case. He said the officer who had received the slash to the head needed to have a plastic surgery consultation.

DISCOVER MORE CONTENT LIKE THIS