A man who was involved in violent disorder in a Dublin prison during which he struck a fellow inmate with a sweeping brush has been sentenced to six months.

Stephen Seery (34) struck prisoner Noel Murray several times with the brush after Murray ran out of his cell following an alleged assault by other inmates.

Seery of Ballyogan Vale, Carrickmines in Dublin 18 pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to violent disorder at Wheatfield Prison on January 21, 2013.

Sergeant Kevin Mullahy told prosecuting counsel Garrett McCormack BL, that it was alleged a number of inmates entered Murray’s cell and a fight took place. Two men are before the courts to face trial in December in relation to this alleged altercation.

Seery waited outside the cell on the landing and struck Murray with the brush a number of times as he came out. The incident was caught on CCTV.

Seery, who has 46 previous convictions, has been out of prison since last December and has put his drug problems in the past, defence counsel Luigi Rea BL, said.

Mr Rea said Seery, who has a young child, had a troubled background but now wants to improve himself and his life.

Judge Martin Nolan said “people are sent to prison to be punished, to be rehabilitated and to behave.

“Clearly he did not do this and prison is difficult enough without this type of event occurring,” he said, adding that this behavior cannot be tolerated.