Murderer who killed his dad launches attack on two prison officers in Mountjoy jail

Convicted murderer Seamus Fitzgerald (35) is facing disciplinary sanctions after the officers were punched numerous times in the incident which unfolded in the jail at around 3pm.

Fitzgerald who murdered his dad in 2006 once told a detective that he "always had it in his head growing up to kill someone."

This is estimted to be up to the fortieth time that the inmate, described as “very troublesome”, has been formally disciplined in the prison system.

The assault on the officers happened just one day after a female prison officer suffered minor injuries after she was “scraped” with a ‘shiv’ while breaking up a fight in Mountjoy Prison.

Another male officer was also injured during the incident.

According to the Irish Prison Officers Association (IPOA), a fight broke out between a group of up to 10 prisoners in the A3 section of Mountjoy Prison on Tuesday afternoon during “unlocking”.

Four prisoners have been identified as being involved in the fight and one of the inmates - who is on remand in the jail and cannot be named for legal reasons - has already been issued with a ‘P19’ report.

P19 reports are handed to prisoners who have broken prison regulations and can lead to various punishments, depending on the severity of the offence.

Jail insiders say that Fitzgerald has also been given a ‘P 19’ for assaulting the officers yesterday.

In May, 2008, he was given a life sentence for the murder of his father James Fitzgerald (56) in Lisgar, Baileborough, Co Cavan on January 8, 2006.

The prosecution said he killed his father to steal money to buy a car.

The Central Criminal Court heard that Seamus was a "loving child" but his attitude "changed completely" around the time of his Junior Cert, when he was 15.

Seamus started sniffing glue and aerosols aged 11, and then began to smoke cannabis. He became prone to mood swings and aggressive behaviour.

Psychiatrists told the court that he suffered from Anti-Social Personality Disorder (ASPD), resulting in "callous unconcern for the feelings of others and a disregard for social norms".

On the night of the murder, he was at home watching TV. He drank four cans of beer. His father and mother were in the kitchen, also watching television, after returning from their grocery store in Baileborough with around €4,000 in takings. Mrs Fitzgerald went to bed just after midnight.

The court heard that Seamus wanted to buy a car and had asked his sister for money. She told him she didn't have that kind of money, and he said he might ask his father.

Seamus told gardai he got it into his head to kill his father while watching the film 'Goodfellas'.

Mr Fitzgerald Snr was asleep in the kitchen, upright in his chair. Seamus cut the flex from the telephone and attempted to strangle him with it -- but Mr Fitzgerald Snr fell to the floor and the flex snapped. Seamus knelt over him and pressed his two thumbs against his Adam's Apple.

He then dragged his father along a hallway toward his bedroom, and tried to take the body out the bedroom window.

Unsuccessful, he dragged him back into the hallway, got a knife and stabbed his father four times. He then got a hammer and attacked his father's wedding-ring finger.

Seamus's brother discovered his father's body, with the knife embedded in his chest. The ring had not been removed from his bloodied and broken finger.