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# search is on
Gardaí are searching for a prisoner who escaped from a prison van today
He has been in custody at Portlaoise prison since 2012 and it’s reported that his case was due before the court of appeal tomorrow.
AN INMATE ESCAPED from a prison escort van this afternoon while being escorted back from a hospital visit in Dublin.
The prisoner – 23-year-old Lee McDonnell from Ballyfermot – ‘made a run for it’ when the van stopped to give him food at Inchicore.
A prison service spokesperson told TheJournal.ie, that “He had managed to slip out of his handcuffs while in the van and when the door was opened he made a run for it.”
The incident occurred at around 1:40 this afternoon.
McDonnell is serving 10 years for a number of crimes- including aggravated burglary where he assaulted a shop owner with the butt of an imitation firearm.
He has been in custody at Portlaoise prison since 2012 and it’s reported that his case was due before the court of appeal tomorrow.
The spokesperson added said gardaí were notified immediately and an investigation is underway.
Read: Here’s how many prisoners were given temporary release since 2009 … and never came back>
