A jury yesterday returned a verdict of misadventure at an inquest into the death of a prisoner who died after a fire in his prison cell.
Mr Anthony Ward (25), of Greensfort Crescent, Ronanstown, Clondalkin, died last August after inhaling fumes from the fire, the inquest in Roscommon courthouse heard.
Mr Ward, who had a history of depression, had been put in a padded cell for his own safety after inflicting cuts to his arms and wrists. A Castlerea prison officer who gave evidence at the inquest said that Mr Ward had told him he had nothing to live for.
Dr Seamus Geraghty, a consultant psychiatrist, in a statement read to the inquest, said that Mr Ward blamed his mother's death for his depression. However, he believed he was not a suicide risk.
Dr Greg Kelly, a prison medical officer, said he had recommended that Mr Ward be transferred to the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum on August 4th but was told there was no bed available and that Mr Ward would be put on a waiting list.
Det Garda Eugene Gilligan, who investigated the fire, said the one-inch thick padding on the walls and floor of the cell had an American motor vehicle standard fire rating and was used in car dashboards. In his opinion, the damage to the padding could have occurred only if a flammable material had been placed in the corner and ignited. He believed that items of bedding had been used as the fire load.
The State pathologist, Prof John Harbison, made a recommendation that it might be preferable if people held in special confinement were issued with trunks, rather than Y-front underpants, to prevent them concealing objects.