Mother begged for son to be admitted to high security ward, inquest hears

A father of one who absconded from a psychiatric ward in a Dublin hospital was last seen alive by a gravedigger.

Alan Stanley (41) of Brookmount, Tallaght was found dead by his wife at Bohernabreena cemetery on March 22nd, 2014.

His mother, Marie Stanley (78) told Dublin Coroner's Court she begged staff at Tallaght Hospital to admit her son to a secure unit as she feared he would kill himself.

Speaking from the public gallery, she said: “Alan was going berserk at home..he hadn’t slept for nights..I’d never seen him like that.

“I told the doctor please, I’m begging. A mother knows, he has to go into somewhere that’s safe. Please do that for me,” she told the inquest.

Mr Stanley, a steel fabricator who ran his own business prior to the recession, was admitted to the Rowan Ward at Tallaght Hospital through the emergency department two days before his death. He was given a bed next to the nurse’s station.

Dr Liliana Marques said Mr Stanley was calm and cooperative and was feeling safe since admission. During her examination, she found a "bag of pills" hidden in his sock.

“He apologised for the bag, he said he just wanted to have it with him, in case he needed them,” she said.

Dr Marques said Mr Stanley did not ask to be transferred to the high observation Aspen Ward, although family members claim they requested that he would be.

Staff nurse Tracey Brady said Mr Stanley became angry and slightly threatening the following day. She received instructions from Mr Stanley’s consultant psychiatrist that if he tried to leave, he was to be held under Section 23, which grants the power to prevent a voluntary patient leaving hospital.

Mr Stanley’s wife Ashling told the inquest she believes her husband tried to leave the ward on Friday March 21st, the day before his death. She arrived during visiting hours to find her husband “crying and emotional”.

In her deposition, she said she had been told Mr Stanley had tried to leave.

On the day of his death,Mr Stanley was seen leaving the hospital grounds as the other patients ate breakfast at 9am.

When his name was called, he looked back, before starting to run in the direction of the Maldron Hotel. He was last seen pacing around Bohernabreena cemetery by the gravedigger and was later found dead by his wife.

The cause of death was asphyxia and the jury returned a verdict of suicide.

Marie Stanley said she blames herself for her son’s death.

“I should have been there to make sure he went into it (the higher security Aspen Ward.) I’ll blame myself for the rest of my life,” she said.