Courts / Dublin / Report

No extra prison time for "notorious" murderer due to legal anomaly

Date
2016-02-23
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

Jeffrey Dumbrell, 35, serving a life sentence for murder and other offences, was sentenced to three‑and‑a‑half years for threatening to rip the head off a prison officer at Wheatfield Prison on 10 December 2014. Because a life sentence is indeterminate, the new sentence runs concurrently with the existing one and does not add extra custodial time. The court noted that a life sentence cannot be extended for new offences while the prisoner is in custody, though the Parole Board may consider the new threat when assessing suitability for release. Dumbrell pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court; the judge described the threat as serious and noted the officer's ongoing stress. The court did not impose any additional custodial period beyond the concurrent sentence.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: No extra prison time for "notorious" murderer due to legal anomaly. Charges or matters: making threats to kill a prison officer at Wheatfield Prison on December 10, 2014. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Why: However, because he is serving a life sentence, which is indeterminate, the new sentence will run concurrently with it. CNI source report

Case subjects

Jeffrey Dumbrell

Convicted Person

Charges: making threats to kill a prison officer at Wheatfield Prison on December 10, 2014 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Jeffrey Dumbrell (35), who is serving a life sentence, was being held in a high security segregation unit at the time but has since moved to a wing with a number of other prisoners and hopes someday to re-join the general prison population. He was sentenced to three-and-a-half years for the threat today.

Places mentioned

Residence
Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Facility
  • Wheatfield Prison
  • The prison

Topics

Stage Sentence Violent Crime

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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