Samurai sword man goes on hunger strike in prison

A man facing sentencing for fracturing another man’s skull with a samurai sword has started a hunger strike in prison.

Patrick O’Rourke is refusing to take food or fluids, said Mahon Corkery, defence barrister at Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.

Mr Corkery said he did not want sentencing to go ahead yesterday due to the hunger strike and related circumstances: “I have an application to adjourn sentence. I cannot take proper instructions from my client. I am told he is refusing food and fluids. He is a lot less lucid than I would like for him to give me instructions.”