Assault in stalled lift among 150 incidents reported in country's courthouses last year

Another incident recorded an 'improvised shiv-type weapon' was discovered stashed in a toilet hidden behind piping and a board

The assault was one of more than 150 accidents and incidents recorded by the Courts Service at its 100-plus buildings last year, including a cleaner accidentally locked inside a cell, threats against staff, and a security breach involving a judges’ car park. File picture: Eddie O'Hare

Two people were trapped inside a courthouse lift when one became agitated, slapped the other repeatedly, and lit a cigarette as gardaí were called to the scene.

The assault was one of more than 150 accidents and incidents recorded by the Courts Service last year, including a cleaner accidentally locked inside a cell, threats against staff, and a security breach involving a judges’ car park.

Last April, a cleaner was trying to clean up a large spill of water in public toilets in Dublin’s Criminal Courts of Justice (CCJ). Two people attempted to enter but were told the toilets were flooded and they could not come in.

They then began to threaten the cleaner, hurling items from a janitor’s trolley and saying they knew their name from “the lanyard around [their] neck”. 

In another dangerous incident that month, somebody tailgated a member of the judiciary into a private car park. A note said: “This individual closely followed the judge, gaining unauthorised access to the restricted area in the judges’ car park.” 

In April 2025, security logs show staff were alerted to two people trapped in a panoramic lift on the ground floor of the CCJ on Parkgate Street. On CCTV, they could see that “[one] individual appeared highly agitated and unexpectedly slapped the [other] individual several times". 

The assailant then lit a cigarette while staff and gardaí attempted unsuccessfully to force open the lift doors. The Courts Service log said: “Fortunately, an Irish lift engineer, who was already on-site conducting routine servicing, intervened and successfully freed the two individuals.” 

In another incident, an improvised weapon was discovered stashed in a toilet hidden behind piping and a board. It was a broken tile that had been sharpened into a point as an “improvised shiv type weapon,” according to records released under Freedom of Information.

The log also detailed a separate case where a member of the public had attempted to bring a “large knife” through an X-ray scanner. Once inside, they walked towards a courtroom shouting “obscenities” as gardaí were called to assist.

There were also multiple threats made, including one person who said they would set a fire and another who promised to bring a rifle to the courts.

In one case, a cleaner was locked in a cell at the CCJ in Dublin when the door mechanism was left in the wrong position. 

A log of the incident said: “Garda sergeant telephoned [security] to apologise for the cell door locking dead bolt not being engaged which resulted in the trapping of the member of the cleaning team.” 

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Other bizarre incidents reported included an electric scooter plugged into a socket near a shower area and the theft of an Irish flag from the courthouse in Carlow.

Another note describing a mishap in Kilkenny said: “Two toilets blocked on Level Three being worked on by contractor. Blockage burst through loose pipes and onto ceiling area and subsequently onto staff desk.” 

Asked about the records, a spokesman said: “The Courts Service has 100-plus buildings in its nationwide estate. We continuously manage the safety arrangements for all properties, including keeping a register and the reporting of incidents.

“This active management helps us ensure the optimum environment for the health and safety of all persons entering Courts Service buildings. It also helps us comply with our legal responsibilities and to continuously learn and improve our health and safety processes.”