Prisoner armed with syringe on the run for 24 hours

A convicted armed robber has gone on the run after threatening a prison officer with a syringe.

Patrick Brassil, 24, who was serving a 10-year sentence, was being escorted from a court appearance at Dublin's District Court to Cork when he escaped.

The prison van escorting Brassil and three officers had stopped at a service station when he held a bloodied syringe to an officer's neck and demanded he be released.

Brassil's last known address was St Michael's Estate, Inchicore, Dublin,

A spokesman for the Prison Service said: "Brassil tried to hijack a car but did not succeed. The gardai were called by the prison staff and he then made a run for it, heading for a local housing estate."

Police officers are still searching for Brassil, 24 hours after his escape. Members of the public are advised not to approach the man and should contact the police with any information.

The governor of Cork Prison will investigate the escape once the officers involved have filed their reports, the Prison Service spokesman said.