Wife killer Joe O’Reilly was moved jails after inmates warned he would be “cut up” for “s**t stirring” and spreading lies between other prisoners, sources claim.
The evil 6ft 5in brute, who bludgeoned Rachel Callaly to death with a dumbbell at their home, was allegedly trying to cause tension and fights between other prisoners. He was also allegedly not co-operating with guards at Dublin’s Wheatfield Prison and was causing constant disruption.
Sources said he had wanted a move to the progression unit at Mountjoy or back to Arbour Hill where he used to be housed. However, jail bosses instead decided to move him to the B2 landing at the tough Midlands Prison in Portlaoise.
Read more: 'Arrogant' wife killer Joe O'Reilly moved to new prison over attack fears
The move which caught the unrepentant murderer unawares followed allegations he was “winding up” other inmates who found out what he was up to and were out for his blood. Prison officers learned that he was going to be “cut up” if they didn’t get him out of Wheatfield straight away.
A source said the situation reached boiling point in the days leading up to O’Reilly’s move.
The source told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “He was telling prisoner A for example that prisoner B was talking crap behind his back and then telling prisoner C that prisoner B was spreading rumours about him and so on. A number of the prisoners copped that he was s**t stirring and word got back to staff that he might be attacked.
“He was told he would be cut up if he wasn’t moved out of the prison.
“O’Reilly’s current change in demeanour and attitude is a far cry from the inmate most have come to know.
“Up until now he was a model prisoner who never caused any trouble but recently that has turned and he has a real attitude, a chip on his shoulder. He has not been complying with staff either
“He was hoping for a move back to Arbour Hill Prison or to the progression unit at Mountjoy but they were not given the go-ahead. He wasn’t a happy boy over these decisions. He was blindsided by the move to the Midlands.
“He is currently in a single cell on the B2 landing but is likely to be moved to a more permanent wing in coming days.”
Sources said O’Reilly can now look forward to an even longer stint behind bars.
An insider added: “He’s set himself back now. A move to the Midlands is a major step backwards for him, and it will likely mean he will stay in a closed facility for far longer.”
It is understood O’Reilly is not housed on the same wing as twisted sex killer Graham Dwyer – but the pair may end up mixing at some stage.
The infamous murderers once met in a holding cell a number of years ago.
Dwyer is alleged to have asked his killer counterpart, ‘Are you the real Joe O’Reilly.’
O’Reilly will now also be under the same roof as Mark Nash, who killed four people in two separate attacks in 1997.
Jehovah’s Witness O’Reilly, 50, likes to keep busy behind bars and has worked in trusted positions, including as head chef of Arbour Hill jail and in the horticulture section at Wheatfield.
He also worked as a bin man collecting rubbish at the Dublin jail, which earned him an extra €3.50 a week on top of his daily €1.70 pocket money.
However, according to a source he is unlikely to be given any position yet due to his behaviour. The insider added: “There is talk that he wanted to work in the Midlands prison kitchen but that probably won’t happen.
“The best he could hope for would be to end up working in the staff mess, the laundry or in the horticultural area. And that’s only if he cops himself on and behaves.
“O’Reilly had been also rubbing shoulders with a fellow inmate at Wheatfield Prison who was once a close pal of The General, Martin Cahill.
“And apparently spreading rumours that he didn’t kill Rachel, that someone else did. There is also talk that a few inmates want to make statements to the guards about what he has been saying.” O’Reilly was handed a life sentence in 2007 for the murder of Rachel in their family home in The Naul, North Dublin. Her badly beaten body was found in a bedroom on October 4, 2004.
He appeared alongside Rachel’s mum Rose Callaly on The Late Late Show to talk about her brutal death just weeks later.
Gardai believe he beat the mum of two to death with a dumb-bell.
He had a nine-month affair with advertising executive Nikki Pelley, 42, before he killed his wife.
O’Reilly was hoping to have his conviction declared a miscarriage of justice but lost his case before the Court of Appeal in 2015.
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