Courts / Louth / Report

Inmate further jailed for threatening prison officers

Date
2023-06-27
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Drogheda
County
Louth

Summary

Damien Clarke, 40, of North Strand, Drogheda, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for threatening to kill or seriously harm prison officers at Cloverhill Prison on 3 January 2022. He pleaded guilty to two counts of making such threats. Judge Orla Crowe noted that prison officers perform an important function and that threatening one during work is a serious offence. The judge accepted Clarke's early guilty plea and his mental health and poly‑substance abuse issues at the time. Clarke received a three‑year sentence with the final six months suspended, subject to strict conditions including engagement with the Probation Service for two years after release. He had 44 prior convictions, including theft, public order offences and assault, and was on remand at the time of the incident.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Inmate further jailed for threatening prison officers. Charges or matters: two counts of making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to a prison officer at Cloverhill Prison on January 3, 2022. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Case subjects

Damien Clarke

Defendant

Charges: two counts of making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to a prison officer at Cloverhill Prison on January 3, 2022 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Crowe imposed a sentence of three years and suspended the final six months on strict conditions, including that Clarke engage with the Probation Service for two years upon his release from prison.

Places mentioned

Residence
Facility
  • Cloverhill Prison
  • Other prison
  • Central Mental Hospital
Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

Topics

Public Order Stage Sentence Theft Violent Crime

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