Prison officers 'urged inmates to attack colleagues'

The issue first came to light in 2019,  when Freddie Thompson made a complaint that three junior officers were bad-mouthing three more senior officers to prisoners. Picture: Colin Keegan/Collins

A Garda file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on allegations that officers in Portlaoise Prison incited some of the most dangerous prisoners in the country to attack other officers.

A large number of prison officers are understood to have been interviewed in the investigation, along with prisoners held in the most secure block in the prison, including Freddie Thompson, who is serving a life sentence for murder.