A pregnant woman was in a "comfortable" condition at the Mater Hospital in Dublin yesterday after being stabbed by a man on day release from Mountjoy Prison. The woman was "doing very well and quite comfortable at the moment", a spokesperson for the hospital said last night.
While a "full review" would be needed regarding her pregnancy, "from a medical and nursing point of view everybody is very pleased with her progress", the spokesperson said.
The man had been released from Mountjoy for the day under a programme designed to reintegrate criminals into the community before their full release. The Department of Justice said he was serving a five-year sentence for aggravated burglary and was due for full release next October.
"He had previously been on day release in July and had honoured the conditions of release on that occasion," the Department said.
However, it emerged yesterday that the stabbing took place during the late evening, almost an hour after the time at which the prisoner was meant to have re turned to the jail. He was also meant to have been accompanied from the jail by a person who knew him - the release form he signed before leaving Mountjoy yesterday indicated he would be accompanied at all times.
Official sources said it was "quite common" for a prisoner to be granted day release under the supervision of a responsible person, but that the supervision might extend only to taking them to an agreed destination - such as a family home - and collecting them later.
However, the Prison Officers Association said it was "extremely concerned about any situation which creates any more victims". It would be in contact with the Minister for Justice about it after a review, a spokesman said.