A prison officer has claimed she would not have survived a vicious assault in Limerick Prison were it not for the “quick actions” of her colleagues.
Evidence was that the woman prisoner locked her teeth on the officer’s arm and grabbed her hair in a way that made her feel choked.
Patricia Coleman lost consciousness during the attack and has not been able to return to work since she was assaulted two years ago by the 21-year-old.
In her victim impact statement at Limerick Circuit Court yesterday she said her life has “changed completely” since her ordeal.
“I received numerous injuries to my back, neck. I was bitten on the left arm, my hair was pulled out of its roots and at some point during the assault, I became unconscious. If it wasn’t for the quick actions of my colleagues, I believe I would not have survived,” she said.
Constant pain
"Since this assault I have been in constant pain with my neck, back and I have constant headaches. I don't sleep properly and my life has changed completely," she continued.
She told the court she is on pain killers and anti-depressants, no longer socialises and has to avoid crowds.
“I became claustrophobic . . . I can no longer return to work due to the constant pain and my emotional state,” she continued.
Serial offender Sarah Sinnott, with an address at the Simon Community in Cork, pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms Coleman causing her harm on April 6th, 2011.
'Lost consciousness'
Sinnott also admitted assaulting prison officer Samantha Conway and Asst Chief Officer Mick Kane, causing them harm on the same date.
The court heard that the three officers entered Sinnott’s cell after she was seen breaking up her furniture.
Sinnott, who has a previous conviction for assaulting a prison officer at the Dóchas Centre in Mountjoy, gripped Ms Coleman’s hair and pulled her head into her chest, causing her to lose consciousness as she felt choked and unable to breathe,
The court heard that Sinnott had a “horrific upbringing” and that she had spent almost 20 of her 21 years in care or detention.
Judge Carroll Moran imposed a three-year sentence and suspended the last two.