A prison officer has told a court she was “terrified” when an inmate told her she would “rape” her with an “implement” at Limerick Prison.
Roisín Linnane told the trial of Barbie Kardashian that she “feared” for her safety after the transgender woman
allegedly issued the threat on a landing at the jail.
“Overall I was shocked, terrified and feared for my safety. I never feared a prisoner before, but in this case I feared for my safety, and feared about the [prisoner’s] release date,” Ms Linnane told Limerick Circuit Criminal Court on Wednesday.
Kardashian (22), of no fixed abode, who it was heard was born a male but now identifies as a female, denies three counts of making threats to kill or cause serious harm to Ms Linnane on dates in April and June 2023. Kardashian also denies a fourth count, of making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to Tegan McGhee, who was a fellow inmate at Limerick Prison, on February 25th, 2023.
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Ms Linnane, who has worked at Limerick Prison for the past seven years, gave direct evidence that Kardashian issued a number of threats to rape and sexual assault her on April 25th, June 9th and June 11th, 2023.
Ms Linnane alleged the first threats were issued after she had asked Kardashian if she had cleaned a shower after using it, and that the accused sat “in defiance” on a chair near the shower.
Ms Linnane said when she asked the accused a second time if she had cleaned the shower, Kardashian replied: “I will sexually assault and molest you.”
The witness alleged that, on another occasion, when she asked Kardashian to stop shouting profanities through her cell door at fellow inmate Tegan McGhee, the accused told her: “I haven’t forgotten you. I will rape you and molest you.”
On Monday, prosecuting barrister John O’Sullivan told the jury that Kardashian was born a male named “Gabrielle Alejandro Gentile, to Venezuelan parents in Co Meath” and currently identifies “as a female”.
Mr O’Sullivan said that in 2020 the accused changed their name to Barbie Kardashian by deed poll “and successfully applied for a gender recognition certificate, and changed from male to female on the 18th of August, 2020”.
The trial continues.
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