Scots baby assassin punched by raging mob on option to jail dies behind bars
Ian Watson, one of Ireland’s longest-serving prisoners, died in Midlands Prison aged 71 after being jailed for life for the 1984 murder of 12-year-old Conor McCabe in Arklow
The Midlands Prison in Portlaoise(Image: Collins)
A child murderer, who was one of Ireland’s longest serving inmates, has died in prison. Ian Watson, 71, who was serving a life sentence for the 1984 murder of a 12-year-old boy, died in Midlands Prison earlier this week.
The wicked killer, who had been grappling with a long-term illness, died in the prison after several recent hospital visits. Watson, reportedly originally from Scotland, was imprisoned for the murder of Conor McCabe, 12 in Arklow, Co Wicklow, a crime he committed when he was 30-years-old.
Prison chiefs have confirmed that a death occurred in a prison and that the matter has been referred to the coroner. “All deaths in custody are investigated by the Irish Prison Service, the Inspector of Prisons and An Garda Síochána, where circumstances warrant. The cause of death is determined by the Coroner’s Office,” a spokesperson for the Irish Prison Service stated.
His 1984 court hearing revealed that he confessed to the killing between April 12 and 15. No evidence surrounding the circumstances of the murder were heard in open court, as was customary at the time when a defendant pleaded guilty, reports Dublin Live.
Reports from the time suggest that gardai struggled to keep a mob from reaching Watson as they transported him from Arklow District Court to a garda car.
The murderer was punched several times as the crowd descended on him whilst he was being escorted to a garda car.
There’s scant information available to the public about the murder of the young boy – largely because the facts were never aired in court.
A report from 1984 outlined that the victim was a young altar boy and his funeral was held at Templerainey church, where he had served.
The Arklow Sea Scouts also provided a guard of honour.
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