Gardaí search for escaped Cloverhill prisoner

Man in his twenties escaped from Bray Circuit Court in Wicklow on Thursday

The search continued on Friday for a prisoner from Cloverhill prison who escaped on Thursday morning.

The man, who is in his twenties, escaped from Bray Circuit Court in Wicklow shortly before 11am on Thursday.

Gardaí have circulated the man’s details to stations around the State in the hopes of locating the missing prisoner as soon as possible.

The prisoner’s escape follows this week’s announcement that security measures for prison officers dealing with violent inmates are to be heightened to include the wearing of stab-proof vests.

READ MORE

In February 2015, Derek Brockwell, a 53-year-old armed robber from Glasgow, stabbed two prison officers in Tallaght Hospital, Dublin, before escaping from the authorities. Brockwell was later recaptured outside a pub in Belfast.

Anti-stab vests will now be worn by all staff on escorts identified as high risk and bullet-proof vests will be purchased for use on armed escorts.

Staves and incapacitant pepper spray will be used on high-risk escorts.