Ex-IRA hunger striker Dolours Price thrown out of jail visit for being drunk
Sunday January 15 2006
A FORMER IRA hunger striker was thrown out of Maghaberry Prison on Friday after she was told she wouldn't be allowed to visit a republican prisoner because she was intoxicated.
Dolours Price, who married actor Stephen Rea following her release from prison for her part in the 1973 bombing of the Old Bailey in London, was escorted from the high security prison just before 5pm on Friday following a two-hour dispute with prison officers.
Sources inside the jail say Ms Price smelled of alcohol and was unsteady on her feet when she was observed inside the prison's visitor centre just
It is understood that she had driven to the prison to visit dissident republican prisoner John Connolly, who was jailed for possessing a large 'barrack buster' mortar on Remembrance Day 2000.
The 29-year-old Real IRA leader from Newtownbutler, Co Fermanagh, was given 14 years for his role in the planned Poppy Day attack.
Dolours Price, who used her married name Dolours Rea when she entered the high security prison, was blocked from entering the visiting area after prison officers noticed that she was unsteady on her feet.
Two officers were instructed to approach her and it is understood that, before becoming abusive to officers, she admitted she had drunk wine with her lunch.
The former hunger striker was then told that because of her condition she would not be permitted to visit Connolly and should leave.
It is understood that Mrs Rea continued arguing with prison officers and members of the jail's control and restraint unit were summoned to the visiting area to escort her onto a minibus back to the prison car park.
"She was restrained by a prison officer on each arm with a third holding her head and a fourth following behind with a protective riot shield. This began just before 3pm and it was around 4.50pm before the incident was over
"She was verbally abusive and threatening and was in no condition to be allowed into the visiting area. The electronically controlled door to the actual visiting room was put in the locked position at one stage when she tried to force her way in," one senior Prison Service source said.
