Murdered prisoner Robert O’Connor had his shorts pulled down to his ankles by a gang which sought to “humiliate” him during the attack.
We can today reveal the full horrific details surrounding the killing of Mr O’Connor — while the four suspects remain on lockdown in Dublin’s Mountjoy Prison and not yet under arrest over a month on. Sources also revealed gardai have established the suspected motive for the assault — with it all stemming from a female associate of Mr O’Connor being assaulted with an iron bar outside of prison months before.
Officers believe O’Connor (34), who was serving a sentence for possession of a firearm, ordered an attack on a prisoner who he felt was responsible for the assault on his female associate. A revenge attack on O’Connor was then planned — and this led to the shocking incident on the evening of Friday, July 29.
Read more: Man arrested after flats complex evacuated in Islandbridge over 'explosives' threat
Gardai believe Mr O’Connor was kicked to death — with one of the four men stamping on his head during the ordeal, which is believed to have lasted mere seconds. Sources say prison staff acted “within five seconds” after witnessing four prisoners, including a notorious member of the Kinahan cartel following O’Connor into a cell on the C2 landing — where he had been lured just moments before.
A prison officer tried to intervene but he was met with aggression from one of the gang — who was eventually forcibly removed from the cell. O’Connor was found by shocked staff lying on the ground in a pool of blood with his eyes open — and his shorts pulled down to his ankles.
“It’s believed they tried to humiliate him,” a source said. “They didn’t intend for him to die, but rather to give him a hiding and leave him there with his pants down.” Sources say prison officers discovered O’Connor in this state — and his shorts were pulled back up — while medical personnel rushed to the cell.
As medical staff battled to save Mr O’Connor, he stopped breathing — and was eventually revived, transported to hospital, but died days later. Sources have also revealed that gardai in Mountjoy Garda Station were formally notified about the incident over the phone just before 6.30pm — almost a half an hour after O’Connor was first discovered unresponsive in the cell on the landing.
It is understood that officers from that station arrived over an hour after that — and remained for several hours as CCTV footage was obtained and witnesses were spoken to. During that time the four suspects, who had all been isolated from one another, had their clothes removed for forensic examination — and a total of seven other prison cells were locked down in the investigation.
Last night the Garda press office said the investigation was ongoing. Over a month on, it is understood that the four suspects have yet to be formally interviewed by investigating gardai — and they remain locked down on a restricted regime within the prison.
Read Next:
- Man arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving after car hits three pedestrians in city centre
- Man in serious condition and number of people hospitalised following house fire in north Dublin
Large sum of money stolen during daytime robbery at city centre business
Prisoner killed in Mountjoy was moved after previously being assaulted days before fatal attack
Mountjoy thugs suspected of killing inmate 'changed clothes' after vicious fatal attack
Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox
