Rapist given €225 for assault gets €17k on appeal

A rapist who was clearly assaulted by a prison officer while serving his jail term has had a €225 award to him by a jury increased to €17,225 by the Court of Appeal.

Mr Justice Gerard Hogan said some of the Castlerea Prison staff who gave evidence in the jury civil action taken by Darius Savickis had regrettably “told lies”.

One officer described CCTV evidence, in which Mr Savickis was punched three or four times, as the officer “putting his hand in two or three times to remove clothing”, the judge said.