Dean Kerrie, a young man serving a three-and-a-half-year sentence for manslaughter, has been given an additional one-month sentence for illegally possessing a mobile phone in his prison cell. Kerrie was caught with the phone at Wheatfield Prison four days before Christmas. He accepted ownership of the phone, apologising for his actions. Despite the additional sentence, Kerrie’s jail time will not be extended. Kerrie was convicted of manslaughter after he stabbed to death fisherman Jack Power, who had broken into his home in Dunmore East in July 2018. Power had been drinking and believed that Kerrie had caused damage to his vehicle before entering the house. Kerrie was twice tried for murder in the Central Criminal Court before being convicted of manslaughter in 2019.
During the trial, Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted that Kerrie was entitled to use force in defence of himself and his family, but that the force he used was “grossly excessive” given that Power was unarmed. Kerrie was sentenced to four and a half years, with the final year suspended for two years. Judge McDermott acknowledged that Kerrie had shown genuine remorse and had not instigated the violence. In statements given by Power’s parents, they described their loss as “immeasurable”.
Possession of a mobile phone in an Irish prison is illegal, with the maximum sentence being up to five years’ imprisonment. Such phones can be used by inmates to facilitate criminal activity within and outside of prison walls, with evidence suggesting that they have been used to plot and carry out violent crimes. Over 3,500 mobile phones and components were seized in Irish prisons in 2019 alone, a 40% increase from the previous year. The Irish Prison Service has taken measures to prevent the use of mobile phones by inmates, including the introduction of technological measures, body scanners, and intelligence-led searches.
Kerrie’s experience reflects a broader issue regarding the treatment of young offenders in Irish prisons. There is a growing consensus that the Irish prison system does not meet the needs of young offenders, who are disproportionately affected by poverty, substance abuse, and educational disadvantage. A 2020 report by the Irish Penal Reform Trust found that Ireland has the highest rate of young people in detention in Western Europe. Recent years have seen calls for reform of the prison system, with campaigns urging the government to focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment. The creation of specialised youth detention centres has been proposed, as well as investment in education and vocational training to help young offenders reintegrate into society.
As the government continues to explore ways to improve the prison system and address the needs of young offenders, incidents such as Kerrie’s possession of a mobile phone serve as reminders of the challenges that lie ahead in ensuring the safety of prisoners and the wider public.
