jail break | 

Female inmate suspected of stealing prison officer’s wallet now ‘at large’

The Sunday World understands the prisoner was on temporary release when the theft occurred earlier this month

Today at 17:17

A FEMALE prisoner, suspected of stealing items from a prison officer’s wallet while he was on a night out, is now listed as being unlawfully at large from prison.

The Sunday World understands the prisoner was on temporary release when the theft occurred earlier this month.

She was given two two-month-sentences in January to be served consecutively for separate incidents of theft.

She is also facing a series of theft charges before the courts later this year.

The reason for the change in her designation from prisoner on temporary release to unlawfully at large is unknown.

However, it’s understood the change to her designation occurred in recent days.

Last week, this newspaper revealed how the Irish Prison Service was carrying out an internal probe after the prison officer had items from his wallet stolen by a female ex-prisoner while on a night out.

The incident was not reported to gardai.

However, the officer reported the details of what had occurred to his superiors in a Munster Prison subsequently.

A source said: “The officer explained that he was up attending an event in Dublin and that after it had occurred he had a chance encounter with the former prisoner.

“Their meeting was coincidental and was not in any way pre-planned.

“However, he subsequently realised that items in his possession were missing.

“He understood that it was necessary to report what had occurred to his superiors and that is exactly what he did.

“The officer is not suspected of any wrong-doing but incident is being reviewed by local management on behalf of the IPS as a matter of due diligence.”

In a statement, the Irish Prison Service declined to comment on the incident.

“The Irish Prison Service does not comment on matters relating to any individual staff member.”