Prisoner jumped and broke pool table in Mountjoy Prison

David Canning (30) was not in his right “frame of mind” when he caused the damage, a court heard.

Judge Alan Mitchell gave Canning an extra four months in jail over the incident in Mountjoy Prison.

Canning, a father-of-four of no fixed address, pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court to causing criminal damage.

The court heard Canning was a prisoner at Mountjoy on March 17, 2020, when he jumped up on a pool table in the recreation area and stamped on it, causing €330 worth of damage.

Canning had a number of previous convictions and in December 2020 he was convicted of arson and given a five-year prison term.

Judge Mitchell said given the date of the prison incident, the accused must have been in custody on remand when he damaged the pool table.

Canning was not “in the right frame of mind” or of sober habits at the time, his lawyer said. He was now drug-free. His lawyer asked the judge not to add to Canning’s time in prison.

The judge made the four months consecutive to his current sentence.