A 46-yr-old prisoner died by suicide after five days in isolation at Limerick Prison during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite two negative tests for the virus, an investigation revealed, reports The Mirror.
He was remanded to the prison on January 16, 2022, after declining to take up his €500 bail and was scheduled for a court appearance on February 15.
The Office of the Inspector of Prisons (OIP) investigation found he was placed in precautionary isolation on February 3 due to symptoms resembling Covid-19, reports The Mirror.
He tested negative for the virus the next day but, per Irish Prison Service (IPS) protocol at the time, had to remain in isolation until symptom-free for 48 hours.
A nurse noted he was “in quiet form” with no fever, though he reported a sore throat and fatigue. After consulting the IPS Infection Control Team, she was advised isolation could end with another negative test the following day, reports The Mirror.
His cellmate, isolated with him on February 3 due to close contact, was permitted to return to the general prison population on February 5.
The prisoner, unnamed in the OIP report, tested negative again for Covid-19 on February 6 but remained in isolation per IPS guidelines. A nurse observed he felt weak but remained his “usual courteous self”, reports The Mirror.
On February 7, he spoke to his brother at 6.48pm, mentioning he was alone in his cell, bored, and without cigarettes.
A prison officer who interacted with him that day said he “seemed to be in good spirits”, and a nurse noted nothing unusual beyond his lingering symptoms, reports The Mirror.
At 8.09pm, he used his cell call bell to request paracetamol for a headache, appearing pleasant to staff with no visible distress, according to IPS records.
Hourly checks were conducted, and at 11.56pm, an officer lifted the cell door’s viewing flap and saw the inmate with a ligature around his neck, hanging from the top bunkbed, reports The Mirror.
A ‘code red’ was issued, and the cell was unlocked, allowing three officers and a nurse to enter. They removed the ligature and placed him on the floor.
No pulse was found, and he was unresponsive. The nurse noted fixed, dilated pupils and blue lips, and a defibrillator detected no shockable heart rhythm. Resuscitation attempts failed, reports The Mirror.
Paramedics arrived at 12.15am and pronounced his death three minutes later.
The OIP report highlighted that the deceased had been on a methadone prescription for drug treatment in the community, which continued in prison, reports The Mirror.
In April 2021, the OIP inspected Limerick Prison during the pandemic and recommended measures to counter the adverse effects of isolation, including psychological support.
The IPS accepted this, implementing a mental health protocol via its psychology team, with wellbeing information shared through the prison TV channel, reports The Mirror.
However, no staff at the prison had concerns about the man’s mental health, so no psychology referral was made.
The OIP issued no additional recommendations in its report, reports The Mirror.
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