Prison officer’s teeth smashed by fire extinguisher

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THE prisoner officer who had his teeth and nose smashed in by an inmate in last Saturday’s riot in Mountjoy Prison is to undergo facial surgery today. The officer, aged in his 20s, is a probationer and has only been in the Prison Service a relatively short time. Jim Mitchell, president of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA), was a member of the 56-strong riot team that went in to restrain the 77 prisoners on Saturday evening. He said the officer was assaulted as the team moved in.

"A prisoner got a fire extinguisher under his visor and drove it into his face," he said. "He lost his teeth and a bone under his nose and the bridge of his nose were smashed."

He said when the officer was taken to hospital on Saturday night the swelling was so bad that he had to go home to let it recede. He returned to the hospital yesterday and is due to undergo facial surgery today.

"He got up on Saturday, went into work like the rest of us. For the rest of his life he will remember the 12th of July," said Mr Mitchell.

Gardaí were yesterday going through camera footage of the riot in a bid to identify the attacker and the other prisoners. They also took prisoners’ statements.

Mr Mitchell said overcrowding was a "major contributory factor" for the riot and said the problem was getting worse.

Other sources, acknowledging the seriousness of overcrowding, said new security measures clamping down on drugs getting into prison was the main cause.

The POA briefly met officials from the Prison Service yesterday and will hold detailed meetings today.