Prisoner asks to move prisons after witnessing a murder in a cell, court hears

Eoin Reynolds

A criminal who admitted to having an assault rifle in a Dublin residential area wants to be moved from his current prison after witnessing a murder in a cell, a court has heard.

Eric O'Driscoll (22) was due to have a sentencing hearing on Monday morning before the Special Criminal Court having pleaded guilty earlier this year to possession of a .223 calibre Remington AR-15 semi-automatic rifle at Ratoath Drive in Finglas on January 9th, 2022, in circumstances giving rise to the reasonable inference that he did not have it for a lawful purpose.

O'Driscoll's barrister Seamus Clarke SC told the three-judge court on Monday that his client wished for the hearing to go ahead having "witnessed a murder inside prison, in a cell".

Following sentencing, it is expected that O'Driscoll would be moved to a different prison.

Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo, presiding, adjourned the hearing for logistical reasons.

O'Driscoll was due to go on trial later this year with his brother Glen Ward (31), who faces a charge of possession of an AR-15 rifle and another of reckless discharge of a firearm at Ratoath Drive in Finglas on January 1st, 2022.