Family of dead man withheld medical files

The family of a young man who died in Garda custody did not allow access to his medical records, the Dáil was told.

Minister of State Seán Power said officials of the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell were examining the Garda investigation report into the death of Terence Wheelock (21) who was found hanging in a cell at Store Street Garda station in Dublin on June 2nd, 2004. He died on September 16th.

Mr Wheelock's family has called for a public inquiry into his death, similar to that into the death in Garda custody in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, of Brian Rossiter (14) in 2002.

This call was repeated in the Dáil yesterday by Labour's justice spokesman Joe Costello.

The inquest into Mr Wheelock's death opened last Friday, and adjourned until March 2nd. Mr Power said "when the inquest has been completed and a verdict returned, the Minister will consider the matter further".

However, Mr Costello said the initial and final Garda reports were not provided to the solicitor of the family, nor were Mr Wheelock's personal items.

Mr Power, speaking for Mr McDowell, said "the Wheelock family, through their solicitors, declined to co-operate with the Garda investigation and declined to allow access to Mr Wheelock's medical records. Consequently the Garda report was unable to countenance specific issues that might arise therefrom. However, the report does contain 61 statements - from members of the Garda Síochána, prisoners who were held in Store Street and other relevant people, as well as a report from the Chief State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy."