An overcrowding crisis is preventing prison bosses from housing dangerous prisoner Barbie Kardashian on her own, it has emerged.
This paper has learned that prison bosses want to place Kardashian, whose imprisonment in Limerick women’s prison has drawn controversy, on an even stricter regime than the one she’s on - but they have no space.
“There is unfortunately an overcrowding crisis going on. It would be preferable not to have Barbie Kardashian near any inmates, but this is the reality of the situation", a prison source said.
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However sources stressed that in spite of that, Kardashian, who is deemed to be a threat to women, is on an extremely strict solitary confinement regime of 21 hours a day in her cell - and she will never be allowed to mix with other inmates.
Sources say it is hoped that Kardashian can be moved to an even more secure environment when the Irish Prison Service opens a brand new women’s prison in Limerick later this year.
The IPS is also re-evaluating its policy on transgender inmates in general - including considering the possibility of housing some in a men’s prison.
And speaking to this paper, local Limerick TD Willie O’Dea said that in his opinion, Barbie Kardashian should be housed in a men’s facility.
“I think straight away off the top of my head she should be held with the men - not the women,” he said.
“I think she should be held with the male prisoners. She was born a male and she’s extremely violent and is a threat to other prisoner’s safety and all that so I think it would be more appropriate to house her in a men’s prison.
“That’s fine if she doesn’t have any interaction but if it comes to a point where they don’t have any space and they have to make a choice, then she should be with the men.”
Kardashian (21) was last week jailed for four and a half years for threatening to rape, torture and murder her mother.
Her imprisonment has now sparked a political debate about whether or not she should be housed in a female prison.
Kardashian, who is a legally recognised female, has reportedly left some prison officers in fear - after allegedly making threats behind bars.
Sources have confirmed to this paper that Kardashian is on a landing of Limerick prison that is completely separated from the rest of the female prisoner population - but she does share this landing with one other transgender prisoner and two female child killers - who each are never allowed to mix.
The landing, sources say, comprises four cells - and each prisoner is given time out of their cells separately, without ever meeting.
Kardashian is on a strict solitary confinement regime - which means she is locked up in her cell for 21 hours a day.
This is because she is considered to be a threat to other prisoners - but sources say prison bosses believe her own life is under threat also.
When given her three hours outside the cell, Kardashian is understood to be accompanied by prison officers at all stages - and when allowed out into the prison yard, or gym, she can only do so when no other prisoner is present.
Sources say prison bosses have also tirelessly assessed the security risk - and it is understood that Kardashian is separated from the general population by four locked doors and several members of staff who are always on duty.
In spite of this sources say there have been challenges in terms of Kardashian’s behaviour around prison staff - who she has allegedly threatened.
Sources say Kardashian has been threatening behind bars and that has allegedly caused serious stress for some officers.
Under the law Kardashian is a recognised female - and cannot be moved to a male facility.
The question of Kardashian’s placement in a female prison came to national prominence this week when Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was asked whether someone born a biological male should be imprisoned in a female prison and he replied: “no I don’t quite frankly.”
But when asked for comment from this paper, the Irish Prison Service (IPS) told us that it is currently re-examining how transgender inmates are dealt with.
“The Irish Prison Service is currently drafting a policy for the management of transgender prisoners, to take account of evolving trends internationally and fact finding in relation to best practice in other jurisdictions in order to inform the final policy, which remains under careful consideration before finalisation in the coming months.”
In relation to how it handles issues of gender and sexuality in general, the IPS said that on arrival in prison all prisoners are interviewed and assessed by a prison governor who will “consider the biological gender, legal gender, gender identity, transgender, gender expression, sexual orientation or gender recognition legislation.”
"The Governor will also consider the risks posed including any risk to the prisoner themselves and any level of risk to other prisoners,” the IPS said.
Last week Kardashian was jailed for five and a half years with the final 12 months of her sentence being suspended by Judge Tom O’Donnell at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.
The court heard from gardai who said they continue to have “grave concerns” about Ms Kardashian’s “motivation to carry out the threats”.
Detective Garda Niall Fitzgerald of Roxboro Road Garda Station, Limerick, gave evidence that Gardai believe Ms Kardashian continues to “pose a significant threat to those she has made threats towards, as well as to the wider public”.
Kardashian had 15 previous convictions including for threats to kill, sexual assault, assault causing harm, assault, and causing criminal damage to property.
The court heard that her original name was Gabrielle Alejandro Gentile, and that she later changed her name by deed poll to Barbie Kardashian.
In 2020, Ms Kardashian was granted a gender recognition certificate by the Department of Social Protection, in recognition of her identifying as female.
The court heard Ms Kardashian is currently on a waiting list to be assessed for “appropriate medical treatment” in relation to her gender.
She was placed in care from the age of nine, and later told gardai and social care workers that she had been sexually and physically assaulted when she was a child.
From the age of 12 she was placed in the care of the State on foot of a High Court special care order.
While in Coovagh House, a residential care facility, in Limerick, for children with high risk behaviours, she threatened to kill or cause serious harm to her mother as well as to a staff member involved in her care.
Following her trial last May, a jury found Ms Kardashian guilty of seven threats against her mother. She was found not guilty of four additional charges of threatening to kill or cause serious harm to a member of staff at Coovagh House.
Judge O’Donnell noted the defendant, who was born male but identifies as a female “is unrepentant” about wanting to kill her mother.
The judge said she set out her plan in “chilling” detail - in that she said she was going to wait in the house until she had satisfied herself her mother had “bled out” and no longer had a pulse.
So concerned about Kardashian being released into the community Judge O’Donnell requested the probation services offer him advice “as to what the future might be for the accused”.
“Some of the major concerns of the report are that the accused is unrepentant about their threats to kill or cause serious harm to their mother. The (report) concludes the accused is at high risk of not just re-offending but also about committing serious crimes,” the judge said.
“The major concern to this court is what is to happen to this accused once any sentence that might be imposed is concluded. The authors of the reports feel it is incumbent on the State services and associated medical services to get involved and try to come to some long-term solution.”
Acknowledging the court’s concerns, Kardashian’s barrister noted there should be some form of post release care plan and “housing” supports put in place to meet his client’s needs.
“What to do? I’m not a doctor and I’m glad I’m not in the position you are, Judge, but this is a young person who have verbalised threats and wanting to go further (with it),” Mr Nicholas said.
“What to do...what can we do? It is highly important to have a significant post-release supervisor plan in place but I’m not qualified enough to know what that is. It is a complicated case and my client is a person who is young, confused, and who has several personality disorders,” Nicholas added.
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