Courts / Louth / Report
7 of Ireland's Longest Serving Prisoners
Summary
In 2015, approximately 350 people were serving life sentences in Irish prisons, with life terms averaging around 18 years. However, a select number of prisoners have served substantially longer. John Shaw and Geoffrey Evans, convicted in 1978 of abducting, raping and murdering two women in 1976 and 1977, received life sentences. Evans died in 2012 after 34 years in custody. Shaw remains imprisoned after nearly 38 years. Jimmy Ennis, now aged 84, is Ireland's longest-serving prisoner, having been incarcerated over five decades for a 1964 murder in County Cork. Noel Callan from Castleblayney, County Monaghan, and Michael McHugh were sentenced to death in 1985 for the killing of Sergeant Patrick Morrissey near Tallanstown, County Louth. Their sentences were commuted to 40 years imprisonment and both were released in 2015 after 30 years. Colm O'Shea and Patrick McCann received death sentences in 1980 for murdering two gardaí during a bank robbery in Ballaghedereen, County Roscommon, later commuted to 40 years. Both were released in 2013 after serving 33 years.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 7 of Ireland's Longest Serving Prisoners. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- August 1976 Other
- 27 June 1985 Incident
- December 1985 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 1980 Other
- November 1980 Hearing Or Sentence
- Christmas 2015 Other
- 2016-02-03 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Outcome: The two English serial killers were sentenced to life imprisonment in 1978 for abducting, raping and murdering the young women. JIMMY ENNIS Ireland's longest serving prisoner is octogenarian Jimmy Ennis, who has been institutionalised for much of his life. 84-year-old Ennis was jailed for life over five decades ago for beating a Cork farmer to death in his bedroom with an iron bar during the course of a robbery.
Places mentioned
- Supreme Court
- Special Criminal Court
- The Special Criminal Court
Topics
Stage Sentence Theft Violent Crime
Related court reports
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- Garda killer seeks immediate release from prison
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