Courts / Cork / Report

Convicted murderer will not serve extra time for assault on prison guard

Date
2014-10-16

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Douglas

County
Cork

Summary

John Douglas, a 30‑year‑old convicted murderer, was sentenced to life in prison in July 2012 for the shooting death of a father‑of‑one in a parked car. In a separate incident, he pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to a prison officer at Mountjoy Prison on 26 August 2008. Judge Martin Nolan ruled that a life sentence cannot be extended by an additional term, following a Supreme Court decision. Consequently, Douglas will not serve extra time beyond his life sentence. Instead, Nolan imposed an 18‑month sentence that will run concurrently with the life term, beginning immediately. Douglas, who has 95 prior convictions including a dangerous driving conviction that caused death, was hired to kill 31‑year‑old Aidan Byrne, a front‑seat passenger in a car driven by another man.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Convicted murderer will not serve extra time for assault on prison guard. Charges or matters: shooting dead a father-of-one sitting in a parked car; assault causing harm to the officer in Mountjoy Prison on August 26, 2008. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Found guilty

When:

July 2012 Incident
August 26, 2008 Incident
2014-10-16 Publication

Why: by Conor Gallagher & Declan Brennan A convicted murderer will not serve any extra time in prison for assaulting a prison guard because the law does not allow life sentences to be extended, a court has heard. CNI source report

Case subjects

John Douglas

Background Person

Charges: shooting dead a father-of-one sitting in a parked car; assault causing harm to the officer in Mountjoy Prison on August 26, 2008 (Proven)

Plea: Guilty

Finding: Found guilty

Outcome: Found guilty; John Douglas (30) was sentenced to life in prison in July 2012 after he was found guilty of shooting dead a father-of-one sitting in a parked car. Judge Nolan imposed an 18 month sentence which is to start immediately, meaning that it will run alongside Douglas' life term.