Nathan McDonnell's solicitor demands 'safety plan' for his client after 'very violent' prison assault

Mr McDonnell's lawyer, Padraig O'Connell, said: 'The State have obviously let him down very badly in that he was left open to a very violent assault.'

Nathan McDonnell is expected to go to hospital for surgery in the wake of the attack. File picture: Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD 

The solicitor for a Kerry businessman convicted of facilitating Ireland’s largest ever haul of crystal meth has said his client was “let down badly” by the State after he suffered a “very violent” assault in prison.

Nathan McDonnell, a 44-year-old former Ballyseedy garden centre owner in Tralee, was assaulted by notorious gangland figure Glen Thompson at Portlaoise Prison.

Mr McDonnell's lawyer, Padraig O'Connell, has called on minister for justice Jim O’Callaghan to make a statement on the assault and to ensure a safety plan is put in place for his client.

“Mr McDonnell is not a violent man," Mr O'Connell said.

“The State have obviously let him down very badly in that he was left open to a very violent assault... and that assault encompassed a broken jaw, in respect to which he is receiving assessment and ongoing management from consultants in the HSE in a secondary care setting.” 

Mr McDonnell was expected to go to hospital for surgery in the wake of the attack.

“I understand from what I am instructed, he will be removed to hospital for the purposes of operative intervention concerning the broken jaw and the placement of wiring in that area for the purposes of rehabilitation and recovery," Mr O'Connell said.

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“Clearly, there are many issues arising from this.” 

Mr McDonnell is due to be sentenced on Friday in relation to the crystal meth haul.

“It is expected to be before the Special Criminal Court on the basis of finalisation, probably in his absence," Mr O'Connell told Radio Kerry.

Mr McDonnell, a former chief executive of Ballyseedy Garden Centre and former President of Tralee Chamber of Commerce, has pleaded guilty before the non-jury Special Criminal Court for offences linked to the crystal meth seizure. 

Mr O’Connell said he has demanded a “safety plan” for his client in relation to how he will be protected during the rest of his imprisonment.

“In respect of Mr McDonnell, going forward, his safety is paramount, and he's obviously under the auspices of the State," he said.

“I will be asking the minister for justice to make a comment on what has occurred, and certainly comment can be made, and it cannot be hidden behind any aspect of the court hearing.

“This is a separate issue completely to any court hearing. What we're talking about is a man who is in custody at the moment awaiting sentencing and he has to be safe.

When he is sentenced, he's likely to be facing a significant period of imprisonment, and how is that going to be dealt with? What sort of plan is going to be put in place, and how is he going to be protected? 

When asked if he was concerned about his client being a target due to the high-profile nature of the crime he was charged with, he said: “Of course, and obviously there's a certain level of intimidation going with any violence.

“And obviously Mr McDonnell will be, to say the very least, concerned about his welfare into the future.” 

He said it is quite likely now his upcoming sentencing hearing will proceed without him.

“Mr McDonnell requires closure in terms of the legal proceedings.”  He added that McDonnell had been “exceptionally co-operative at all points in time”.

The Irish Prison Service says it does not comment on individual prisoner cases or security or operational matters.