Prison bosses have launched an urgent investigation after an inmate in an Irish prison took part in a YouTube interview – behind bars.
The Mirror has established that prison officers raided the inmate’s cell earlier today – after news of the hairbrained interview emerged online.
We have also confirmed that the prisoner – who is currently before the courts on a charge that could see him locked up for more than a decade if he is convicted – is now facing internal jail disciplinary proceedings over the bizarre interview, conducted in recent days with English true crime YouTuber KRN TV.
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Although the inmate hides his identity in the 22 minute interview, sources have confirmed to the Mirror that prison bosses know his identity.
And they revealed that the special Operational Support Group raided the man’s cell in the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise earlier today.
But, because it is illegal for inmates to use mobile phones behind bars, sources said the Prisons Service will also likely refer the case to gardai - for a criminal investigation.
The Dubliner, whom we cannot identify because of the court case hanging over him, is to be given a so-called P19 form, which is an internal jail punishment that could see him moved to another prison as well as lose privileges.
But a Garda probe means he is likely to face charges over that – and be hit with more jail time.
A Prison Service spokesman today told The Mirror the case was being investigated.
He said: “The Irish Prison Service is aware of the issue and the matter is currently being investigated.”
In the video, the inmate talks about being locked up in an Irish prison – and says he is doing well. He also says he can make money by selling cannabis at a profit behind bars.
He adds: “I won’t say what prison I’m in, but I’m in an Irish prison.”
Sources say prison bosses who watched the video easily worked out who he is and moved against him this morning.
He then says the jail conditions are good.
He says: “Conditions for us are fairly good – I can’t complain. I’m sure there are hotels out there that are worse.”
But he then complains about the lighting in his cell, saying: “The lights don’t work in here. That’s one thing about the Irish Prison Service – they don’t like to fix things. I have no lights in my cell.”
He then does a tour of his cell with the camera phone – and shows it is in darkness. He boasts that it is easy to get his hands on a phone behind bars.
“Every Irish prison is full of phones,” he says.
And he also says drugs are available in prisons here.
“The same people who take drugs on the outside take drugs on the inside,” he says.
“You are going to get them one way or the other. Sometimes I’m talking to people outside and I’ve got nicer (drugs) inside than they have.
“I like to smoke weed. I get two to three ounces of weed in here every week on the visits, people take them in for me.
“If I was to sell weed, I can get €100 for less than a gramme.”
The interviewer then says he must be making a lot of money and the inmate replies: “Yeah, I could be.” The interviewer also asks him about jail violence and the inmate replies that the big difference between the Irish prison and the English prison is in the English prison a lot of random violence occurs, in the Irish prison it is generally more politics and more structure.
“Somebody is always in charge and people don’t like when trouble starts because it brings heat on the landing so unless it is very necessary it doesn’t happen.”
The inmate also talks about the Kinahan-Hutch feud behind bars, saying the rival members are split up into different prisons.
“You have one prison, Wheatfield Prison (in west Dublin) where all the Hutches must go -they cannot go anywhere else.
“There is only about seven or eight of the on the landing, including Gerry Hutch.
“They have to be kept safe because they are vulnerable.
“Then the Kinahans can be really in any jail. When there are senior Kinahan members in a jail, they seem to be in charge.”
The inmate also talks about how he has done previous sentences for drugs and assaults in Ireland and England– and even went on the run in Spain.
And he also says he has pals doing life because of the Kinahan-Hutch feud that has claimed 18 lives so far.
And he adds it is affecting criminals’ abilities to make cash.
“You can’t make money when sh*t like that is going on,” he says.
The man also says he believes the gardai do not have a strong case against him. But he also says he does not regret getting involved in crime.
"I have no regrets," he says.
"I spent a lot of years in jail but the years I was not in jail, I was enjoying myself and making the most of life.
"I've been everywhere, I have done everything I wanted to do."
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