Inquest recommends medical oversight after prisoner death

A jury at an inquest into the death of a prisoner at Mountjoy has recommended that refusals of treatment be overseen by staff with a medical background.

Returning a verdict of death by misadventure at the inquest of Paschal Doyle (31), the jury asked that a “half-sheet”, required by prison officers as a means of recording a prisoner’s refusal of medical treatment, be approved by “a second person with a medical background”.

Mr Doyle a father of four from Pollarton in Co Carlow, died on July 26th, 2014. He died due to the inhalation of gastric contents, due to obstruction of the small bowel by a small package of drugs he had swallowed.

Michael Goldrick, a prison administration support officer working as a medical secretary said he “emergency approved” a document that allowed Mr Doyle be discharged from the prison for a hospital visit. He said the prison doctor had said Mr Doyle should go to the Mater Hospital “whenever possible” and the form was marked urgent.

Assistant Chief Officer Padraig Martin said the hospital escort for Mr Doyle had been arranged for 5.30pm on July 25th but two prisoners were injured in a separate altercation at 4pm and this incident took priority.

Mr Doyle was waiting 30 hours for treatment. When prison officers arrived at his cell to take him to hospital around 9pm on July 25th, he refused to go.

Around 3.30am the next morning, he was found unresponsive in his cell and later pronounced dead at the Mater Hospital.

The court previously heard that around half of prisoners opt out of medical treatment.

On a previous inquest date the court heard that Mountjoy Prison was down more than 40 staff members on July 25th, 2014, as Mr Doyle waited in the prison reception area to be transferred to hospital. Mr Doyle, who was serving a five month sentence, was attacked by fellow prisoners twice in the days leading up to his death and left with substantial bruising. He saw the locum prison officer who advised his transfer to hospital. It was not known at this point that Mr Doyle had swallowed a package of heroin and had developed an impending life threatening injury.

Mr Doyle was seen swallowing something he claimed was a sweet while under escort at a court appearance in Carlow fifteen days before his death.

Coroner Dr Brian Farrell said he would write to the Irish Prison Service to officially pass on the jury’s recommendation.