Mentally ill prisoner (70s) loses eye after being stabbed with pen by cellmate (opens original article in a new tab)

An elderly mentally ill prisoner lost an eye after being stabbed by a cellmate with psychiatric issues in a overcrowded Irish prison, highlighting ongoing overcrowding challenges.

• An acutely mentally ill prisoner in his 70s lost an eye after being stabbed with a pen by another prisoner with psychiatric issues at Cloverhill Prison
• Prison overcrowding has forced officers to double up prisoners in cells meant for one, contributing to the violent attack
• The Irish Prison Service is managing a prison population exceeding 5,900, with some facilities at 160% of bed capacity