A prisoner jailed for three years for burglary and handling stolen property has taken a High Court challenge to being locked up nearly 23 hours a day in Wheatfield Prison.
Jason O'Connor claims the regime involves getting all meals in his cell and being allowed out of his cell for a maximum 90 minutes exercise daily. He says this amounts to cruel and degrading punishment, and breaches his rights under both the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights.
Yesterday Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O'Neill granted senior counsel Michael O'Higgins, for O'Connor, leave to bring a judicial review challenging the prison regime.
Mr O'Higgins said his client had been subjected to the "23-hour lock-up" regime on the grounds that the governor of Wheatfield had been told there might be a threat to O'Connor's life from others.
O'Connor regarded such claims with scepticism, and believed the circumstances of his detention amounted to a punishment and separation regime.
The court was told O'Connor was being subjected to unnecessary and damaging isolation, and was being deprived of any meaningful activity with which to fill his days. He was being subjected to this regime without having been convicted of any breach of prison discipline.
Mr O'Higgins said O'Connor had made it clear he wanted to return to the general prison population or be transferred to another prison where the perceived threat may be less serious.
He also believed his separation could create the perception by other prisoners that he was an informer.
