There has been an increase in allegations of abuse of inmates by prison staff, including an incident which left a prisoner with “significant disabilities”, a European committee has found.
The findings are contained in a report by the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) which conducted a broad-ranging inspection of Irish places of detention, the first since 2019.
Physical safety of those in male prisons “has deteriorated sharply”, the CPT said. It said there has been an increase in allegations of prisoner abuse by staff since 2019, particularly in Cloverhill and Limerick prisons.
“Incidents included slaps, punches, kicks and other violence in places without CCTV coverage, such as escort vans and reception areas,” it said.
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The report described severe overcrowding in some prisons, with some inmates having a living area of just 2.8sq m.
“Meanwhile, inter-prisoner violence remains widespread, with drug-related conflict and contraband smuggling driving much of the violence,” it said.
One alleged incident, which occurred in 2023, was captured on a CCTV camera secretly installed in a prison van without the knowledge of prison escort officers. The CPT said the footage captured a prison officer allegedly using a riot shield to repeatedly strike an inmate.
CCTV shows the prisoner being carried out of the van “bleeding significantly from large open wounds on his head”, the CPT said.
The prisoner suffered a bleed on the brain and spent several weeks in hospital. Prison records show he suffered from significant disabilities “commensurate with a head and brain injury including memory loss.”
An inquiry was later opened and a criminal investigation launched. It is understood that the officer remains suspended.
The CPT called the incident “deeply troubling”.
Other incidents of prisoner abuse by staff noted by the CPT include an officer allegedly “meting out severe physical abuse” to an inmate by putting a foot on his neck to choke him.
In another alleged attack, prisoner officers kicked and punched a prisoner as he lay on the ground before one officer pulled him by the hair and tried to strangle him. The prisoner also alleged that the officers sexually assaulted him, the CPT said.
The CPT said the investigation was pending at the time of their visit but that the evidence it reviewed appeared to show unnecessary force was used. “CCTV coverage shows that a prison officer jumps on the head of the prisoner ... pulling his head down and puts the prisoner on the floor.”
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In a lengthy document outlining its response to the CPT findings, the Irish Government undertook to update the committee on the investigation into the alleged riot shield incident and outlined measures the Irish Prison Service (IPS) has taken to improve staff monitoring and whistleblower protection.
The IPS also said it would publish a notice reminding staff of the rules around the use of force and that it would improve recording of such incidents.
