Latest news with #bodyarmour
BreakingNews.ie
26-06-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Dublin man (20) had gun hidden under bullet proof vest in taxi, court hears
A 20-year-old man was caught in a taxi in Dublin with a loaded handgun after it fell out of his 'body armour' vest on Tuesday night, a court has heard. Craig McKeever of Dromard Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, was charged with an offence under the Firearms Act for unlawful possession of the .22 calibre handgun on June 24th at Turvey Road, Inchicore. Advertisement He appeared before Judge Susan Fay at Dublin District Court on Thursday and was denied bail. In evidence, Garda Niall White said that the accused made no reply to the charge. He objected to bail and alleged that Mr McKeever was caught red-handed. He said the accused and another male got into a taxi, which gardaí approached, noticing a strong smell of cannabis. Advertisement The court heard that during a search, the accused was found in the back seat wearing a body armour ballistics vest, and out of which fell an army green .22 calibre pistol. 'One round of ammunition was discovered loaded in the firearm,' Garda White said. The court heard the gun was seized, along with the single round, a magazine storage holder, the body armour vest and €550 cash allegedly in Mr McKeever's possession. The second male fled but was later granted bail, the court heard. Garda White voiced concerns that the seizure of the gun was related to an ongoing feud. The contested bail hearing was told the young man's house was burned down last year, rebuilt and later petrol bombed. Advertisement He said the Garda ballistics section had also examined the gun. The offence can carry a maximum 14-year sentence. The accused did not address the court or indicate a plea, but the bail hearing was told that the case was likely to be transferred to the Circuit Court, which has greater sentencing powers. Ireland Billionaire JP McManus fights back tears in meetin... Read More His barrister, Kevin McCrave, stressed he had the presumption of innocence and bail, that the weapon has to be tested by experts for the defence, and that his client could spend a year in custody on remand awaiting trial. Case law states that the court could consider bail where it might otherwise not due to lack of a speedy trial, he asserted. Counsel said his client had family in court who could support him, stand bail, and ensure he attended court. He argued that the court had a myriad of conditions it could apply to Mr McKeever, who would obey strict conditions similar to house arrest, which would be like having a Garda searchlight on him. Judge Fay said she considered the submissions but denied bail and remanded Mr McKeever in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on July 3rd.
The Independent
13-06-2025
- The Independent
Armoured thug stabbed officer and knocked another unconscious in police station attack
A body armour wearing man armed with Molotov cocktails and a hatchet who stabbed a police officer and knocked another unconscious has been jailed for life. Alexander Dighton, 28, arrived at Talbot Green Police Station in Rhondda Cynon Taf shortly before 7pm, where he lit a petrol bomb and threw it at a police van on January 31. Central Criminal Court heard how Dighton failed to ignite a petrol bomb and attempted to start a fire by pouring lighter fluid over the van before smashing the windows of two vehicles using a pole. When approached by officers, Dighton said 'I'm fed up, I'm done', before launching his attack. Attempts to restrain Dighton using a Taser were unsuccessful because of the body armour he was wearing. Dighton swung a pole at one officer, punched one in the head and stabbed another in the thigh, narrowly missing his femoral artery. Two of the three injured officers were taken to hospital for treatment. In a police interview after the attack, Dighton, of Pontyclun, said he did not consider the scope of damage, 'merely that blood had to be spilt'. He previously admitted 10 charges relating to the incident, including attempting to murder Detective Constable Jack Cotton and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to Sergeant Richard Coleman. Dighton also admitted assaulting Pc Joshua Emlyn and threatening Pc Stephanie Fleming with an adapted wooden pole. Prosecuting, Nicholas Hearn described how Dighton's sister had reported him to Prevent due to concerns he held 'racist and anti-Muslim views' and was likely to be involved with incel groups. The incel movement is made up of people who find themselves unsuccessful in relationships, often harbouring extreme and misogynistic views. Judge Mark Lucraft KC sentenced Dighton, who had been referred to the anti-terrorism programme Prevent in January 2024, to life imprisonment and ordered him to serve a minimum of 22 years. The judge told the defendant, who represented himself in court, that the offences had 'a terrorist connection'. He said: 'It is clear that you continue to hold entrenched views. 'Other than the early guilty pleas, there is little else to be said to your credit.' The judge said the police officers that encountered Dighton were experienced. He added: 'Whilst they accept potential violence and difficult confrontations are part of the role of being a police officer, they were all deeply shocked by the nature and ferocity of your attack.' Speaking ahead of sentencing, Chief Superintendent Stephen Jones praised the officers who attended the incident, saying they showed 'absolutely exceptional bravery and professionalism'. Bethan David, Head of the Counter Terrorism Division for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Alexander Dighton wanted to attack the government and the state. 'By his own admission, he wanted to take the life of a police officer, to cause damage and spill blood. We were able to show that Dighton's attack was not only pre-meditated and meticulously planned, but that his motivations were connected to terrorism. 'While it is not a criminal offence to hold extreme or offensive views, it is one to carry out attempted murder and attack police officers because of them. 'He pleaded guilty, and his sentencing today reflects the severity of his actions.'
The Independent
03-06-2025
- General
- The Independent
Prison officers told to wear body armour in high-security jails after attacks
Prison officers will be told to wear body armour in high-security prisons, the Government has announced, days after a staff member was seriously injured in a stabbing. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said prison officers would be told to wear body armour in settings at the highest categories of prisons in England and Wales, telling MPs it would apply to close supervision centres, separation centres and segregation units. It came as shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick repeated his warning that a prison officer could be killed unless stronger action is taken. The incident at HMP Long Lartin on Saturday was the latest in a series of attacks on prison officers in recent months. The staff member at the prison near Evesham, Worcestershire, had to undergo emergency surgery after being stabbed by an inmate and is now said to be in a stable condition. Meanwhile in May, Southport triple killer Axel Rudakubana was accused of throwing boiling water at a prison officer through a cell door at HMP Belmarsh, causing minor injuries. A month previously, Manchester bomb plotter Hashem Abedi was moved to Belmarsh from HMP Frankland after allegedly throwing boiling cooking oil at three prison officers. Abedi was previously found guilty of attacking a prison officer in 2020. Ms Mahmood asked Jonathan Hall KC to lead an independent review into events at Frankland in County Durham, which will examine whether current protection for prison officers is sufficient. He will also evaluate whether separation centres, which are in place to manage the most dangerous prisoners, are fit for purpose. She told MPs on Tuesday: 'Today, I can announce I will mandate its use in close supervision centres, separation centres and segregation units in the high security estate. 'This is my initial response to the review, but I will set out further action on body armour in due course. 'When Jonathan Hall's independent review into the Frankland attack reports, I will take any further steps necessary to protect our brave staff.' Mr Jenrick told MPs he still fears for prison officers' safety, as he hit out at Rudakubana having access to 'treats' such as Pringles and Maltesers. He said: 'Brave prison officers are under attack if the Government doesn't act now. I'm warning once again that an officer will be killed on the Justice Secretary's watch. After the Southport killer Axel Rudakubana allegedly attacked an officer with boiling water, he is now bingeing on treats like Maltesers and Pringles. 'When will the Justice Secretary strip Rudakubana and monsters like him of these privileges and put them in solitary confinement, and when will she finally have the backs of all our brave prison officers by giving each and every one of them the protection that they need in the form of high-collar, stab-proof vests, not just a privileged view in the most limited circumstances?' Ms Mahmood said: 'Let me just give the shadow minister a much-needed education here because he appears not to know that under the Tory government, violence on staff in our prisons soared and experienced officers left in droves because of it. 'That is inheritance that I have received and that is the mess that this Government is clearing up. He will know I have already acted on suspending the use of self-cook facilities, I've got Jonathan Hall looking into the HMP Frankland attack, I've made the announcement on body armour, and I won't hesitate to take any further action, but unlike him I won't make, and I quote 'headline-grabbing measures', just for the sake of a headline.'
Telegraph
03-06-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Front-line prison officers to wear stab vests after string of attacks
Front-line prison officers in high security jails are to be issued with stab vests after a series of knife attacks on staff, the Justice Secretary has announced. Shabana Mahmood told MPs that all prison officers working in specialist units where terrorists and dangerous offenders were isolated would be equipped with body armour. The move has been recommended by a rapid review ordered by Ms Mahmood after Hashem Abedi, the brother of the Manchester Arena bomber, attacked three officers with two makeshift knives and hot cooking oil at the high-security HMP Frankland jail in Co Durham. Last week, an officer at Long Lartin prison in Worcestershire was seriously injured when he was stabbed by an inmate. The weapon was believed to have been brought into the high-security jail by a drone. Ms Mahmood said stab vests would initially be issued to officers in separation centres where the most dangerous terrorists were held, of which there are three in high-security jails. Officers will also be provided with body armour in close supervision centres and segregation units, which are used to isolate inmates in the eight high-security jails in England and Wales. The review is understood to say that more evidence is needed to determine whether the stab vests should be issued more widely. Ms Mahmood told MPs: 'This is my initial response to the review but I will set out further action on body armour in due course.' Review 'must go further' Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, urged Ms Mahmood to go further after he commissioned a report recommending that all front-line officers should be issued with stab vests. 'When will she have the backs of all our brave prison officers by giving each and every one of them the protection that they need in the form of high-collar, stab-proof vests, not just a privileged few in the most limited circumstances?' he said. The Ministry of Justice has already suspended the use of kitchens in separation units after Abedi is believed to have crafted his knives out of a baking tray. It is also planning a trial of Tasers in jails. Ms Mahmood has commissioned Jonathan Hall, KC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, to explore ways of segregating dangerous offenders after the attack by Abedi, who is serving life for his part in the murder of 22 people in the Manchester Arena bombing of 2017. The Prison Officers' Association has not only called for stab vests for staff but also for all terrorists and violent prisoners who assault officers to be held in US-style 'supermax' units or separate jails. They would only be allowed out of their cells for one hour a day, handcuffed and supervised by three officers. Ms Mahmood also announced that Dame Vera Baird, the former victims' commissioner, will become interim chairman of the beleaguered Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) after it was heavily criticised over its handling of the scandal over Andrew Malkinson. The CCRC's blunders delayed the release of Mr Malkinson from jail for a rape that he did not commit, leading to the removal of its chairman Helen Pitcher.
