ON WEDNESDAY, ALISON Chawke was released from prison after serving less than a twelfth of her custodial sentence for her part in a violent assault on two men.<\/p>\n
Alison and her brother Bill Chawke, the daughter and son of prominent publican Charlie Chawke, were jailed in July<\/a> for assaulting the two men at a luxury Limerick hotel in November 2023.<\/p>\n The court heard the siblings had brought \u201cembarrassment\u201d on their family with their violent actions, which they carried out while intoxicated. Alison had bitten one of the victims on the cheek during the attack and kicked him in the head.<\/p>\n The judge sentenced her to two years and two months, with 14 months of this suspended.<\/p>\n Although the siblings appeared shocked at their respective sentences \u2013 Alison mimed to a supporter in court, \u201cAm I going to jail?\u201d \u2013 her own defence solicitor acknowledged on her behalf: \u201cYou make your bed, and you must lie in it.\u201d<\/p>\n But after less than a month, 41-year-old Alison Chawke was released from the female wing of Limerick Prison under the community return scheme.<\/p>\n The scheme involves prisoners being released from custody, but carrying out unpaid community service work. Prisoners must be deemed to be no threat to the community to be eligible for the scheme.<\/p>\n Alison Chawke will remain under supervision by the Probation Service for the remainder of her sentence.<\/p>\n For custodial sentences of 12 to 18 months, eligibility to apply is from committal \u2013 meaning there is no waiting period before an application can be made. This follows changes to the system in 2023, prompted in part by chronic overcrowding in prisons.<\/p>\n The female wing of Limerick Prison, where Alison Chawke was in custody, is operating at 152% capacity, according to figures released by the Irish Prison System today.<\/p>\n There is capacity for 56 beds in this wing and there are 85 in custody today.<\/p>\n Thirty-six prisoners are on a form of temporary release \u2013 including Chawke \u2013 up from 33 in July.<\/p>\n Alison Chawke\u2019s early release has prompted much criticism. Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s justice spokesperson Matt Carthy said he believes a number of serious questions need to be asked about this release, and that it highlights the major issues with Irish prison capacity.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a prison system that\u2019s not doing its job,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Social Democrats justice spokesperson Gary Gannon, however, said he doesn\u2019t believe prison is the right place for a woman who has children<\/a>, and said he believes her early release is \u201cappropriate\u201d.<\/p>\n Alison\u2019s position as a well-connected and wealthy woman has prompted further questions from the public as to the reasoning behind her early release.\u00a0<\/p>\n