Ireland Prison officer injured in Mountjoy Prison attack, prisoner suspected
Benjamin Morrissey, who has almost 80 convictions, is the sole suspect in an attack on a prison officer, a man, at Mountjoy Prison in Dublin on the Sunday before 7 February 2025. The officer suffered facial injuries that required plastic surgery and is out of work. Morrissey had pleaded guilty to charges arising from a 2020 offence in Dublin and a 2021 attempted robbery on O'Connell Street, and in 2022 he was jailed for six years for two separate attacks. Gardaí and prison authorities are investigating, and Morrissey has been moved to the A5 unit of Portlaoise Prison, where he is barrier-handled and kept away from the rest of the prison population.
- Reported7 Feb
- Arrested
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Benjamin Morrissey is the sole suspect in an attack on a prison officer at Mountjoy Prison.
- The prison officer suffered facial injuries that required plastic surgery and is out of work as a result.
- Where
- The attack took place at Mountjoy Prison in Dublin.
- When
- The attack took place on the Sunday before 7 February 2025.
- Investigation
- Gardaí and prison authorities are investigating the attack.
- Charges
- Morrissey pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Daniel Shortt in Dublin in 2020.
- Morrissey pleaded guilty to the attempted robbery of BB Sondegur in 2021.
- Weapon
- In an attempt to steal an e-scooter on O'Connell Street, Morrissey targeted a woman with scissors.
- Sentence
- In 2022 Morrissey was jailed for six years for two separate attacks.
- Other details
- Morrissey was moved from Mountjoy Prison to the A5 unit of Portlaoise Prison and is barrier-handled, kept away from the rest of the prison population.
- Yousef Palani is also held in the A5 unit after repeatedly trashing his cell and threatening prison staff.
- Morrissey has almost 80 convictions, including assault, drug dealing, criminal damage, theft and public order offences.
14 statements extracted from the articles
- whatMorrissey is the sole suspect in an attack on a prison officer at Mountjoy Prison (dublinlive.ie)
- whatThe prison officer suffered facial injuries requiring plastic surgery (dublinlive.ie)
- whatThe prison officer is out of work as a result of the attack (dublinlive.ie)
- whatMorrissey targeted a woman with scissors in an attempt to steal an e-scooter on O'Connell Street (dublinlive.ie)
- whenThe prison officer attack occurred on the Sunday before 7 February 2025 (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationGardaí and prison authorities are investigating the attack (dublinlive.ie)
- chargeMorrissey pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Daniel Shortt in Dublin in 2020 (dublinlive.ie)
- chargeMorrissey pleaded guilty to attempted robbery of BB Sondegur in 2021 (dublinlive.ie)
- chargePalani pleaded guilty to the murders of Aidan Moffitt and Michael Snee in Sligo in April 2022 (dublinlive.ie)
- sentenceIn 2022 Morrissey was jailed for six years for two separate attacks (dublinlive.ie)
- otherMorrissey has almost 80 convictions to his name (dublinlive.ie)
- otherMorrissey was moved from Mountjoy Prison to the A5 unit of Portlaoise Prison (dublinlive.ie)
- otherMorrissey is being barrier-handled and kept away from the rest of the prison population (dublinlive.ie)
- otherYousef Palani is also held in the A5 unit due to repeatedly trashing his cell and threatening prison staff (dublinlive.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 7 Feb2025Prisoner jailed for Dublin scissors attack moved to same unit as serial killer
Reports the transfer of Morrissey to Portlaoise A5 unit following the Mountjoy attack, details the officer's injuries, and provides background on Morrissey's previous convictions including the 2021 O'Connell Street scissors attack and a 2020 stabbing.
suspect, Benjamin Morrissey, male, named, irish (judged from name)Benjamin Morrisseyvictim, male