Violent offender who slashed prison officer’s face given additional three-year jail term

By Isabel Hayes

A violent offender who slashed a prison officer’s face with a home-made ‘shiv’ in Mountjoy Prison has been given an additional three-year jail term.

Benjamin Morrissey (25) had psychiatric issues at the time of the attack in February 2025 and was under the mistaken belief he was being abused by prison officers, his defence counsel told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

He had no prior difficulties with his victim, whose face he slashed from lower lip to chin – later telling gardaí he just wanted to “cause fear” and get transferred out of Mountjoy. He has over 80 previous convictions and is currently serving a six-year jail term for two violent street attacks.

Morrissey, formerly of Backpackers Citi Hostel, Gardiner Street Lower, Dublin and Queens Housing Quarter, Belfast, Antrim pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm to the prison officer at Mountjoy Prison on February 2, 2025.

The prison officer who was attacked required plastic surgery and more than 50 stitches internally and externally.

The laceration has left him with a permanent disfigurement, the court heard.

Sentencing Morrissey, Judge Martin Nolan said it was a difficult case involving a grey area.

“At the time he committed this offence, this defendant was burdened with serious psychiatric problems,” the judge said. “In sentencing him, I must take these matters into account.”

He noted defence counsel had not sought a special verdict, and as a result, he must deal with Morrissey “as if he was a sane individual when he committed this offence”. He said he would take Morrissey’s psychiatric history into account when passing sentence.

Garda Niall Murphy told John Quirke BL, prosecuting, that on the day in question, two prison officers opened Morrissey’s cell in order to bring him to yard for break.

Morrissey burst out of the cell armed with a ‘shiv’ – in this case a piece of plastic cutlery with two blades melted into it.

A struggle ensued between Morrissey and the officers, with a third officer coming to their assistance.

During the altercation, Morrissey swung an arm and slashed the victim across the face.

The man’s colleagues described his lower lip as “hanging off his face”. Morrissey was restrained and an ambulance was called, with the prison officer later undergoing surgery.

When interviewed, Morrissey said he did not mean to assault anyone with the weapon, which he had made that morning, but wanted to cause fear in order to get a prison transfer.

When shown photos of the officer’s injuries he described them as “horrible” and “shocking”.

He was later transferred out of Mountjoy.

In a victim impact statement, the officer said he has been left with a “lifelong” scar, with numbness to his jaw and pain on a daily basis.

He was out of work for one year and is now on light duties. His family is anxious when he is in work and he feels differently about his job now, the court heard.

Conor Devally SC, defending, said Morrissey has spent most of his adult life in custody and has suffered from increasing psychosis.

Two psychiatric reports were handed into court.

Morrissey had a “chaotic” upbringing marred by addiction, and started taking drugs at the age of 13.

He now has a diagnosis of schizophrenia, is on medication and is much more stable.

He is currently an enhanced prisoner.

Defence counsel said Morrissey is very apologetic and “genuinely repulsed” by what he did.

Judge Nolan said the weapon Morrissey made was “savage in nature” and he left his victim with a “severely disfiguring scar”.

“I do accept this man was labouring under psychiatric problems,” Judge Nolan said.

He set a sentence of five years and suspended the final two years.

This sentence will run consecutive to the sentence Morrissey is currently serving, which is due to expire in January next year.