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A MAN WITH 17 different aliases has been acquitted by a jury of attacking a prison officer with his meal tray and severing a tendon in his wrist.
Ceraldo Eyken (45) was found not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of assault causing harm to prison officer Gareth Sheeran at Cloverhill Prison on April 11, 2009.
The jury took just under an hour to return its verdict to Judge Sarah Berkeley, following a two-day trial.
Mr Eyken, of Chaplin Court, Clondalkin, Dublin, had been in custody over the alleged use of false identities.
Elva Duffy BL, prosecuting, told the court in the absence of the jury that Mr Eyken had 17 different aliases and that gardaí could not confirm which was his true name.
Mr Eyken denied the assault charge and told gardaí he had been defending himself from a fellow prisoner who had pushed him down the stairs seconds earlier.
Tea trays
The incident took place just before tea-time in the prison, as inmates came downstairs to the serving area carrying their empty trays.
Mr Sheeran, who now works as a prison officer at the Dóchas Centre, told the court he spotted Mr Eyken lying on the ground at the foot of the stairs and went over to diffuse a potential argument.
He said he got “caught in the middle” of two inmates and put his arms up to block a meal tray which was brought down forcibly upon him.
Three tendons in Mr Sheeran’s wrist were torn and one was completely severed. He received 19 stitches and had to undergo plastic surgery.
Mr Sheeran suffered permanent nerve damage and has been left with a constant tingling sensation in his wrist. The meal tray, with one end shattered into sharp fragments, was presented to the jury as evidence.
The jury was also shown CCTV footage of the aftermath of the incident, where Mr Sheeran could be seen running and holding his left wrist.
Escorted away
Seamus Clarke BL, defending, pointed out that the footage also showed several prison officers gathering around another inmate and escorting him away.
“This is a case of Hamlet without the prince,” said Mr Clarke, claiming the absent villain was the other inmate who had pushed Mr Eyken down the stairs.
This inmate was seen with his fist clenched by another prison officer, while a third officer saw the inmate standing over Mr Eyken as he lay on the ground.
Mr Eyken told gardaí of an incident earlier that day when this other prisoner had allegedly stopped him from using the weights machine in the gym.
Mr Eyken reported the matter to officers and said the inmate later threatened him and called him racist names.
As he walked downstairs for his tea, Mr Eyken said he felt someone lifting him from behind causing him to fall down five or six stairs and hurt his kneecap.
He said he was in shock and angry as he thought he was going to die. He said he “lost his senses” and went to defend himself with his tray, which the other prisoner broke.
Mr Eyken said he did not see Mr Sheeran coming to separate them, and said he was very sorry that the prison officer had accidentally hurt his hand on the broken tray.
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Tip of the iceberg, I would say. There was a rape culture in Hollywood.
@James Bishop: not according to some of the commentors on here. Apparently women were just furthering their careers in prostituting themselves.. And though they may have been coerced with the threat of losing their livelihood and he did abuse his power, they could have said no. Apparently it’s not real abuse if the woman submitted to sexual advances that she did not want by a person with enough power to make sure she never worked again if he so chose. No that’s just not abusive enough for the lads on here.
@Dell: Hard to say keep saying no when you are cornered by a 120kg, 6 foot plus man who holds the power to ruin you professionally in the palm of his hand.
And in that audio clip all that woman says is no, again and again. Repeatedly. Harrowing stuff.
@David Hickey: I completely agree and there is also the fact that no matter what kind of rumours or whatever, you really do not expect someone to behave like that.
@James Bishop: still is especially against young boys girls
@dangermouse: in our own country most people knew that girls who were sent to the laundry were going to a life of hell… politicians, doctors, priests, teachers.. No one spoke up, why do you think that was? Yes, it would have been better for others if these people had felt they could speak up but why are we pointing fingers at them, instead of at the person who was committing the abuse?,
@Dell: this was in response to danger mouses comment that seems to have disappeared
@Dell: is that why the journal.ie deleted my comment about the like of streep and Jolie jumping on the bandwagon. Why didn’t “these powerful” speak up sooner and allow women to run a gauntlet of sexual abuse by a Hollywood director .they sat back an enjoyed the trappings of Hollywood
@dangermouse: why didn’t the men in Hollywood speak up, if it was common knowledge? Also apparently Jolie did warn others over the years and refused to work with him afterwards.
@Dell: I believe 1 man came forward too say he was inappropriately touch my a male studio director
@dangermouse: yes I saw that today. I believe he said that he completely understands why women have not spoken up until now because he himself felt he couldn’t speak up until now. And at that, he did not name the person he was talking about. I think that there are some incredibly powerful, intimidating people in Hollywood and that those in ther sphere were led to believe they are even more powerful than they are so as to keep everyone quiet about their misconduct and abuse.
@dangermouse: and the journal have hidden that article over in the entertainment section, Terry Crews expresses himself very well and quite eloquently explains why he felt unable to come forward about the incident before now. Will he be subjected to the same criticism that the female victims are receiving for not singlehandedly putting an end to the endemic sexual misconduct in Hollywood? Let’s hope not, nobody deserves that kind of verbal abuse and characters assassination on top of the actual sexual abuse they’ve already suffered.
@dangermouse: The problem with your comment is that the people you are speaking about were not powerful, they may be more powerful now, but even now that are not as powerful as a studio heads or high ranking producers, directors, executives, etc. Have you ever tried standing up to someone who was being (sexually) inappropriate in the work place? I have. It’s an extremely daunting task. And when you’re dependent on the job it’s a very difficult decision and position to be put in. And all because someone decides they don’t have to behave in a respectful manner towards all employees.
@Dell: sadly women are suffering this crap every day. Not always something explicit as rape but certainly as explicit as a man grabbing them when their alone and when even telling them to leave them alone or literally to F off. Still women won’t make a “fuss” because they won’t be believed or making too much of something.
Even the wife must have known
@Minom Pnom: how? Was she there? Clooney worked with him for 20 years! Brad Pitt was with two women who he attempted to assault. Is he guilty or his wife who has 3 young children? Who is guilty? Harvey or every one else? No doubt there was a blind eye there and those that did owe it to the women he abused. But make no mistake. It was him that abused those women.
@Deborah Behan: those that heard the rumours and rejected them and those that didn’t help won’t be feeling great today but when someone has so much power over your career I wonder would you do the right thing? It’s so much easier to turn a blind eye no matter who you are. That’s what needs to be tackled.
@Deborah Behan: I’ve no idea what point your ramble is trying to convey.
Comments which criticise a certain actor being removed?!
Mamma Mia!
He’s not the only one I’d say!!!!
I’m waiting for the Trump comments of deflection lol
Where didn’t the actresses come out earlier. They could have saved a lot of youngsters from trouble. A lot of them are very rich and didn’t had to keep there mouth shut.
@Hans Vos: would you have believed them?
I knew knew none of those Girls had no talent on Screen .
have your say