asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons who have died in Garda or prison custody in the past ten years; the names of the deceased; and the place and cause of death in each case.
Written Answers. - Number of Deaths in State Custody.
The number of persons who died in Garda or prison custody in the past ten years is 37. The place, date and cause of death in each instance is listed hereunder. "Cause of death" is as indicated in the coroner's verdict, in the report on the post mortem examination or in the Register of Deaths, as the case may be. Out of consideration for the sensitivities of their relatives, I do not propose to provide the names of the deceased.
Place of Custody |
Date of Death |
Cause of Death |
Athlone Garda Station |
31/12/1979 |
Asphyxia due to inhalation of vomit and that deceased was also in advanced state of intoxication. |
Limerick Prison |
5/4/1980 |
Acute pulmonary oedema due to inhalation of smoke, carbon monoxide and extensive burns — misadventure. |
Drogheda Garda Station |
27/6/1980 |
Bruising and compression of the brain. Subdural and extradural heematoma. Fracture of the skull. |
Limerick Prison |
29/4/1981 |
Asphyxia due to suspension by a bed sheet. Suicide. |
Arbour Hill Prison (died at Mater Hospital) |
30/9/1981 |
Acute myocardial infarction (natural causes). |
Shercock Garda Station |
22/4/1982 |
Cardiac amithmia due to ischaenia due to coronary artery acclusion by thrombosis and that the fatal episode was precipitated by shock due to injury and by stress. |
Shannon Garda Station |
27/5/1982 |
Alcoholic intoxication and inhalation of stomach contents. |
Birdewell Garda Station, Cork |
31/5/1982 |
Asphyxia due to constriction of the neck by a ligature. |
Mountjoy Prison |
10/9/1982 |
Asphyxia due to hanging, self enacted in a cell in Mountjoy Prison. |
Mountjoy Prison |
4/2/1983 |
Asphyxia due to hanging, self enacted at his cell. |
Ballymun Garda Station |
28/2/1983 |
Shock due to burning and alcohol intoxication due to fire to cell. |
Dundalk Garda Station |
12/9/1983 |
A. Cerebral Anoxia B. Self inflicted neck compression. C. Suspension by a noose. |
Harcourt Terrace Garda Station, Dublin |
4/11/1983 |
Asphyxia due to suspension or hanging in a cell. |
Greystones Garda Station |
9/11/1983 |
Asphyxia due to inhalation of stomach contents, contributory factor — alcohol intoxication. |
Waterford Garda Station |
4/3/1984 |
Respiratory depression secondary to ethol alcohol intoxication. |
Navan Garda Station |
8/9/1984 |
Acute left ventricular failure due to severe coronary arterial failure and disease. |
Mountjoy Prison (died at Mater |
5/10/1985 |
Cardio respiratory failure due to dex-Hospital) tromoramide toxicity self administered at Mountjoy Prison. |
Mountjoy Prison |
10/11/1985 |
Asphyxia due to hanging, self enacted. |
Mountjoy Prison |
23/12/1985 |
Hypovalaemic shock in association with laceration of the left brachial vein. |
Mountjoy Prison |
17/1/1986 |
Asphyxia due to suspension (hanging) self enacted at a cell in Mountjoy. |
Granard Garda Station |
26/9/1986 |
A. Asphyxia and cerebral anoxia. B. Hanging. |
Bridewell Garda Station, Dublin |
7/10/1986 |
Pulmonary oedema and haemorrhage due to aspiration of stomach contents resulting from alcohol and methadone interaction. |
St. Patrick's Institution |
26/7/1987 |
Asphyxia due to hanging self enacted at St. Patrick's Institution. Death regarded by the Coroner as accidental. |
Cork Prison |
12/2/1988 |
Cardio respiratory failure due to hanging. |
Mountjoy Prison |
16/4/1988 |
Aspiration of vomit due to morphine toxicity. |
Mountjoy Prison |
18/4/1988 |
Cerebral anoxia due to suspension, hanging self enacted at his cell in Mountjoy Prison. |
Marley Park, Rathfarnham |
31/5/1988 |
Ventricular fibrillation caused by myocardial ischaemia due to coronary artery atheroma. The inquest jury was of the opinion that this was contributed to by the struggle with the Gardaí. |
Waterford Garda Station |
3/6/1988 |
In this case an elderly man was found lying in the street. He was taken to the Garda Station where shortly afterwards he was pronounced dead. He died from natural causes. No inquest was held. |
Mountjoy Prison |
13/6/1988 |
Asphyxia due to hanging self enacted at Mountjoy Prison. |
Mountjoy Prison (Transferred on 3 July 1988 to the Mater Hospital |
7/7/1988 |
Bronchopneumonia following aspirations of vomitus. where he died). |
Shankill Garda Station (Com- |
8/7/1988 |
Sub-dural haemorrhage. mitted to Grangegorman Hospital and then transferred to the Mater Hospital where he died. |
Arbour Hill Prison |
30/9/1988 |
Suspension, hanging (low-level) self-enacted. |
Waterford Garda Station |
31/1/1989 |
Cardiorespiratory arrest secondary to asphyxia caused by aspiration of stomach contents. |
Mountjoy Prison |
15/4/1989 |
Cerebral anoxia due to hanging self enacted in cell. |
Longford Garda Station |
25/4/1989 |
Inquest not held to date. |
Limerick Garda Station |
4/10/1989 |
Inquest not held to date. |
Arbour Hill Prison |
4/10/1989 |
Inquest not held to date. |