Investigation into death at Navan garda station

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 52 year-old man while in Garda custody at Navan Garda Station last night.

The man, understood to be from the locality, was taken into custody earlier yesterday afternoon, according to a statement issued this morning by the office of the Garda Ombudsman Commission.

The statement said the man "was said to have been in an intoxicated state and was taken into custody for public order reasons."

"Late last night, gardaí found that they could not rouse the man from sleep and medical assistance was called."

The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

State coroner Dr. John Lacey was consulted and the state Pathologist Dr. Marie Cassidy is expected to conduct a post-mortem later today.

The man cannot be named at this time for family reasons.

The matter was referred to the Garda Ombudsman Commission by the Garda Síochána under section 102 of the Garda Síochána Act, 2005.

This is the procedure where the ombudsman is notified in cases where serious harm or death is thought to have occurred during a Garda operation.