Convicted murderer Logan Jackson was unable to continue serving a life sentence in any Irish prison as the state feared he might be harmed or killed in custody, it can be revealed.
The state’s acknowledgment that a prisoner who has committed murder cannot be held in a prison here due to fears for the prisoner’s safety and that of members of the Irish prison service was set out in a statement from the Department of Justice.
Jackson killed five-time national boxing champion Kevin Sheehy, 20, by ramming him repeatedly with a 4×4 vehicle as he walked Hyde Road, Limerick, on July 1, 2019.
Jackson of Longford Road, Coventry, in the English Midlands, was transferred from Limerick Prison to a prison in England on March 13.
The transfer was finally granted by the Minister of Justice Simon Harrisdespite repeated protests from the victim’s family, who said they were never involved in any perceived risk to Jackson’s safety.
The Justice Department has revealed how Mr Harris was required by law to take into account a number of factors when assessing Jackson’s request for a transfer, including that Mr Jackson was detained for 23 hours during his three years in custody for very significant security risks”.
“These risks posed a threat to staff and inmates at Limerick Prison, as well as Mr Jackson,” it said.
The department also said that “as part of consideration of Mr Jackson’s application, a broader security assessment was also carried out and indicated that these risks would persist in any Irish prison”.
Sources confirmed that on January 13 last year, just 23 days into his life sentence, Jackson applied to be transferred from Limerick Prison.
Tracy Tully, mother of slain Limerick boxer Kevin Sheehy, with his daughter Kevaeh. Photo: Paul McCarthy
But Tracey Tully, mother of the late Mr Sheehy, said today: ‘I didn’t even know that was the date he applied for the transfer. It’s not good enough, I think that’s very soon. I feel that my human rights were not taken into account at all. I was not notified that this had happened.
“Is it correct that he was transferred from Ireland and the case is still under investigation? I just feel like I’ve been mentally abused by the [State] the past three years.”
Gardaí suspect others assisted Jackson the night of the murder and continue to build a case to bring those people to justice.
A Garda spokeswoman said: “This investigation remains active and ongoing.”
Ms Tully said she had written to the Justice Minister to say she felt she had been “inflamed” and “threatened” by his office, which had tried to impose the Minister’s law on her when she left last year challenged his decision. She has not yet received a response.
“They threw bills at me to try and trick me into challenging the minister’s decision. It all feels very disturbing,” she said.
Ms. Tully subsequently did not have to pay the Attorney General’s and Jackson’s legal fees. However, she said she felt she was “put into fear” the moment this could happen.
“I hope no other family goes through this mental torture by the state,” she said.
“Logan Jackson is gone now. He is no longer subject to the laws of this country where he killed my son.
“Not only have I lost my son, but my family has been treated horribly throughout all of this. It was mental torture to bring a case against the minister on top of the grief of losing my son.
“Logan Jackson took my son’s human rights monstrously — so when we talk about human rights, I want to know more about Kevin’s human rights, my human rights, Kevin’s daughter’s human rights.”
She claims that Jackson should serve his sentence in the state where he killed her son and “not in the country he chooses to spend the rest of his days in”.
A spokesperson for Mr Harris said he “will respond” to Ms Tully about her ongoing concerns.
He said that “to further strengthen victims’ rights, Mr Harris has recently received government approval to amend the law and make it a legal requirement to inform victims registered with the Irish Prison Service that an application for out-of-state transfer has been filed by an inmate serving a sentence here, and to provide victims with an opportunity to submit an opinion on the application.”
“This has recently been approved by the Oireachtas and is expected to become law very soon,” the spokesman said.