No extra jail time for inmate who punched Cloverhill governor

An inmate who repeatedly punched the governor of Cloverhill Prisonhas been given a three-month sentence, with the final two months suspended.

Brendan Cummins (22), of Lios Dubh, Armagh Road, Dundalk, Co Louth, has 10 previous assault convictions and was not due to be released from his current sentence until the end of September at the earliest, meaning he will serve no extra jail time for the attack.

He had pleaded guilty to assaulting governor Ronan Maher at Cloverhill Prison on February 20th last. The offence is contrary to Section Two of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act which can result in a sentence of up to six months’ imprisonment.

Det Sergeant Sean Cosgrove told Cloverhill District Court on Tuesday the governor had gone to D-wing’s yard to speak to a prisoner. The accused started shouting at him and punched him the face three times, the court was told.

The case was adjourned until Thursday for a victim impact statement and evidence of previous convictions to be given and for mitigation pleas to be heard.

Courtroom security was again heightened for the resumption of the proceedings . The accused was flanked by five prison officers in full riot gear and holding shields during the sentence hearing.

Mr Maher came to court to give the victim impact statement and told Judge Kathryn Hutton: “Emotionally, I was not affected at all. It is part of the job, it comes with the territory but I still suffer pain in my neck”.

He said he gets twinges of pain if he moves his neck too much to one side.

Det Sergeant Cosgrove told the court that Cummins has 15 prior criminal convictions in total.

In July, he was given a four-month sentence for assault causing harm, however, Det Sergeant Cosgrove said the sentence will expire in November and that Cummins’ earliest possible release date is September 30th.

In February 2014, he was given a three-year sentence by a circuit court for assault causing harm but that term has expired.

Defence solicitor Yvonne Bambury told the court her client had been on 23-hour “lock up” and was “subject to a difficult stressful regime”. He was getting about one hour of exercise a day.

She said he found it extraordinary difficult coping with solitary confinement. As a result of the attack he suffered a loss of certain privileges including phone calls and access to the shop, the solicitor said.

Judge Hutton imposed a three-month sentence but suspended the last two months on condition Cummins keeps the peace for six months.