Vented anger and assaulted prison officer

An inmate vented his anger and hit a prison officer in the Midlands Prison with a brush, a sitting of Portlaoise District Court was told. 

Patrick Kinsella, 44, of 7 St Ronan’s Gardens, Clondalkin, Dublin admitted assaulting the prison officer with a brush on December 12, 2017. 

Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said the defendant had been cleaning a floor but “became violent” and the officer received a cut to his head but didn’t require stitches. 

He said the inmate had become “frustrated over clothing issues and wanted to vent his anger” at the time. 

“The officer was very naturally upset and shaken by it,” said Sgt Kirby. 

He said the man had 174 previous convictions and was serving a sentence in prison with a release date of June 19, 2025. 

Solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said his client had moved from Cloverhill to the Midlands Prison and there had been an issue with the transfer of his clothes. 

“He was particularly frustrated on the evening in question. He smashed an office window,” said Mr Fitzgerald. Prison officers responded to the disturbance, he explained. 

“That is when the officer got hit with the brush,” said Mr Fitzgerald. 

“He does wish to apologise to the injured party. There was no malicious intention,” said Mr Fitzgerald. 

Mr Fitzgerald asked the court to take into account the fact that the assault was “at the lower level” of a Section 3 assault causing harm and there was an early plea. 

Judge Andrew Cody said while an early plea is always appreciated he couldn’t ignore 174 previous convictions. 

Judge Cody imposed a three month prison sentence which is to commence when the sentence the man is serving ends in 2025. Recognisance was fixed in case of appeal.