Dowd and out of private landing.

State witness in Hutch trial to be transferred from Limerick prison because inmates are too crammed

- PAUL HEALY

STATE witness Jonathan Dowdall has to be moved out of Limerick prison because he's taking up too much space, we can reveal.

Sources have confirmed that Dowdall is currently alone on a landing that can house up to a dozen prisoners - in spite of a massive overcrowding crisis in the Irish prison system.

That stark reality has forced prison bosses to make the decision to move the high-risk inmate out of Limerick Prison so the landing can be fully filled with other prisoners.

However, moving Dowdall has not been an easy decision for authorities within the Irish Prison Service who, it is understood, have had multiple discussions over the last number of days over how to handle the sensitive matter.

The imminent move comes after Dowdall's father Patrick - who was the only other prisoner on the landing - was released last week.