Father of man killed in Mountjoy Prison pleads against ‘any retaliation’

The father of a man who was attacked and fatally injured by a group of inmates in Mountjoy Prison earlier this month has said he “would hate to see any retaliation”.

Robert O’Connor (34) from Snowdrop Walk, Darndale, north Dublin, was taken to the Mater hospital, where he was on a ventilator for five days following the attack, before he was pronounced dead.

Speaking at his funeral on Monday, O’Connor’s father Leo described him as “very loyal and trustworthy”.

His son loved to go fishing in places such as Howth and liked to bet on horse racing, he said.

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“I loved my son unconditionally.” He described his son as a “beautiful” person who had “lost his way” somewhat.

Speaking of his son’s killing, Mr O’Connor said: “People who get life... they’ll all see their families again. I won’t get to see my son anymore and neither will my family or his friends, or all the ones that love him.

“I would hate to see any retaliation. I’m begging anyone if they hear anything to do something to stop it.”

He said neither he nor his son would have wanted to see that happen.

Fr Michael O’Connor celebarated the funeral mass. Sympathising with the family on their loss, Fr O’Connor said life was “a gift not to be taken for granted… Robbie’s breath was taken from him and this is the reality that brings us together.”

The turnout from family and friends “means a lot - it is consoling and encouraging and helps to bring healing. We help to carry Robbie’s family through this dark valley.”

The investigation into O’Connor’s death is ongoing. Just two days before the attack, he had been sentenced to 6½ years for possession of a semi-automatic pistol in Finglas. Judge Martin Nolan commended his “ambition to reform and change his lifestyle” as he gave the sentence.

Gardaí suspect the men who attacked O’Connor intended to badly beat him, at the behest of another person, rather than kill him in the incident. However, in the ambush in a cell on the C-division of the jail, O’Connor sustained a serious head injury that proved fatal.

His killing is the first in an Irish jail since Graham Johnson, a 42-year-old father of three, was stabbed to death in Cork Prison in May 2015, over what channel should be on the television. O’Connor’s killing is the first in Mountjoy since Gary Douch (20) was murdered there in August 2006. O’Connor and Douch are members of the same extended family from north Dublin.

Figures provided to The Irish Times by the Office of the Inspector of Prisons (OIP) show there have been 14 deaths among prisoners so far in 2022.

The OIP has investigated 73 deaths of prisoners since 2018 and published 50 death-in-custody reports in the same period.

O’Connor’s funeral notice read: “Robert (Robbie), beloved son of Leo and the late Linda and much-loved brother of Wayne and Kylie.”

He would be “sadly missed by his loving family, aunts, uncles, niece, nephews, partner Jade, Wayne’s partner Elana and Kylie’s partner Liam, relatives, great neighbours and friends”.

His funeral took place at the Church of Our Lady Immaculate in Darndalde before a burial in Fingal Cemetery.