Decision to approve transfer of convicted murderer from Limerick Prison to UK strongly criticised
THE DECISION of the Minister for Justice to approve the request of convicted murderer Logan Jackson to be transferred from Limerick Prison to a prison in the UK has been strongly criticised.
Logan Jackson, aged in his mid-30s, of Longford Road, Coventry, England was sentenced to life imprisonment, in December 2021, after he was convicted, by a jury, of murdering champion Limerick boxer Kevin Sheehy.
The 20-year-old, who was tipped as a future Olympian, died after he was repeatedly run over by Jackson who was driving a 4x4 vehicle at Hyde Road, Limerick, on July 1, 2019.
Last year, his mother Tracey Tully initiated High Court proceedings in an effort to halt Jackson's proposed transfer to a prison in England.
While those proceedings were 'resolved' last November, it has now been confirmed that the current Minister for Justice, Simon Harris has approved Mr Jackson's application for a transfer.
In a statement, confirming the decision, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice said: "The Minister has with great difficulty acceded to the request of Mr Jackson to serve the remainder of his term in a UK prison. Minister Harris is acutely aware that news of this development will be difficult for the family of Kevin Sheehy. In arriving at this decision, and with the feelings of the family of Kevin Sheehy at the forefront of his mind, Minister Harris sought to explore all possible options."
The statement, issued to Limerick Live this Friday morning, added: "The Minister is obliged to act in a manner consistent with obligations under international law, specifically the Council of Europe Convention on the transfer of prisoners and the European Convention on Human Rights. Having considered those obligations, the clear legal advice of the Attorney General, and the particular circumstances of the case, it was necessary to accede to Mr Jackson’s application for transfer."
Noting that the decision (in 2022) to transfer Logan Jackson was entirely set aside (by the High Court) to ensure Ms Tully was given the opportunity to make a submission, the Department of Justice says the issue has now been considered "from the beginning" by the Minister.
Reacting to the decision to approve the transfer request, Limerick City TD Willie O'Dea, says it's not satisfactory.
"It's a bolt from the blue to me that the government, without any advance notice to anybody that they were reconsidering the matter, have now gone ahead and made a decision to transfer Mr Jackson," he said.
Speaking on Live 95's Limerick Today programme, Mr O'Dea, who spoke with Tracey Tully on Thursday night, said he does not accept the reasons put forward by the Department of Justice.
While accepting that Logan Jackson is entitled to request a transfer, he said he is of the belief that there is no entitlement for such applications to be granted.
The Fianna Fail TD added that it's unclear if the transfer, from Limerick Prison to the UK, has already taken place or, if not, when it will occur.
In response to a media query, a spokesperson for the Irish Prison Service said it does not comment on individual prison cases.
However, they added: "The Irish Prison Service administer the Transfer of Sentenced Persons function on behalf of the Department of Justice. The Transfer of Sentenced Persons Acts, 1995 and 1997 provide a mechanism whereby non-Irish nationals serving sentences in Ireland may apply to serve the remainder of their sentences in their home countries, where those countries are party to the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons.
"Similarly, Irish persons who are imprisoned overseas in such countries may apply to serve the remainder of their sentences in Ireland. The Convention is open to States outside Europe and the Government supports the Council of Europe policy of encouraging states to ratify and operate the Convention."
Applications for transfers are administered and considered by the Irish Prison Service who submit same to the Minister with a recommendation for decision.