Courts / Dublin / Report

Prison hostage situation may have been attempt to make claim against the State, court told

Date
2016-06-15
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

In October 2014, at Cloverhill Prison, convicted murderer Ciaran Moran (30) tied up his cellmate Dean Fagan, threatened to slit his throat, and cut Fagan's head with a homemade shiv. The hostage situation lasted 90 minutes before Moran walked out of the cell. Moran pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and false imprisonment. The court considered the possibility that the incident was an attempt to make a claim against the State or involved collusion between Moran and Fagan, but found no evidence. Judge Melanie Greally noted Moran's dissatisfaction with the seizure of a letter he had sent and imposed a prison term of three and a half years to run alongside his life sentence. Moran also faces separate convictions for manslaughter, assault and aggravated burglary. The incident involved negotiations by prison officers and a brief threat to Fagan's life.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Prison hostage situation may have been attempt to make claim against the State, court told. Charges or matters: assault causing harm and false imprisonment in Cloverhill Prison on October 11, 2014. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Why: She also noted the evidence that Moran was dissatisfied because the Prison Authorities had seized and censored a letter he had sent about a case he was a suspect in. CNI source report

Case subjects

Ciaran Moran

Background Person

Charges: assault causing harm and false imprisonment in Cloverhill Prison on October 11, 2014 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Greally imposed a prison term of three and a half years which will run alongside the life sentence imposed on Moran in May 2015.

Places mentioned

Facility
  • Cloverhill Prison
Residence
Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

Topics

Burglary Stage Sentence Violent Crime

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

Correction or retraction request

If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.

Email a correction request