A 24-year-old Dublin prisoner was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment at Limerick Circuit Court yesterday for causing serious harm to a 40-year-old prison officer.
The court had heard that the prison officer had fought for his life. The accused, a heroin-user, threatened to kill him, and he received 75 stitches.
The court heard from Det Garda Gerry Doherty, Roxboro station, that the accused came from a very poor and totally criminal background in Dublin, with no parental control as a youngster, and "his home life was zero".
Before Judge Sean O'Leary was Paul Dixon, of Brendan House, Brendan Road, Dublin, who pleaded not guilty to a charge that he intentionally or recklessly caused serious harm to Mr Alan Kavanagh at Limerick Prison on January 5th last, contrary to Section 4 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.
Det Garda Doherty said the accused had several previous convictions dating back to 1989. His father and aunts had previous convictions and many of his relatives had died from drug abuse.
The detective garda said that he believed Dixon suffered from hepatitis C and "we know him as a drug-abuser."
The court was told by Mr John O'Sullivan, for the defence, that the accused left school aged 11, and heroin had had disastrous consequences on his family. His mother was very ill and suffered from a number of illnesses.
The court was told Dixon had a long-term girlfriend and had a child who died in a cot death. He had a sister who also died.
Imposing sentence, Judge Sean O'Leary said that it was important that society recognised that law enforcement officers including prison officers would be protected in a special way against attacks of this kind.
The judge said if this matter had come before him without the overlay of a prison officer being involved, then the appropriate sentence would be five years' imprisonment, but he was imposing eight years to reflect the aggravating factor that a prison officer was involved.
He said he was satisfied that the accused had had a very poor start in life, which he was taking into account, and also his suffering from poor health and having a poor family background.
He refused leave to appeal, and the sentence took effect from yesterday.