Courts / Dublin / Report
Double killer Penrose claims solitary confinement is 'psychological torture'
Summary
Steven Penrose, a double killer currently serving a life sentence for two murders, has appealed a High Court decision that Mountjoy Prison acted appropriately in placing him in solitary confinement. Penrose claims that his detention in the Challenging Behaviour Unit is a form of psychological torture and that the prison authorities made false disciplinary reports to justify his placement. He alleges that the governor of Mountjoy Prison made false affidavits and that his detention was a deliberate campaign to break him. Representing himself at the Court of Appeal, Penrose said that the prison service denied him access to structured activities and education and that they viewed his ability to write as a threat. The prosecution, represented by Anne-Marie Lawlor SC, argued that the High Court judge made proper findings of fact and that the prison's actions were justified. The judge noted that Penrose had not provided evidence to support his claims and that the High Court's decision should not be interfered with.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Double killer Penrose claims solitary confinement is 'psychological torture'. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- December 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
- August 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- May 17, 2009 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2026-02-10 Publication
Case subjects
Background Person
Outcome: Steven Penrose (42), formerly of Newtown Court, Malahide, Coolock, Dublin 17 was sentenced to life in prison in December 2021 for the murder of Philip Finnegan in August 2016. The governor previously told the High Court that Penrose had over a hundred discipline reports against him, of which 68 related to his period in detention either on remand in relation to the murder charge or subsequent to his conviction.
Places mentioned
- High Court
- Court of Appeal
- Mountjoy
- Mountjoy Prison
- Irish Prison
- The Irish Prison
Topics
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