A prisoner with a heart condition died after a hospital appointment was cancelled due to security rules.
The Irish Prison Service (IPS) has a security rule where medical appointments get cancelled automatically if family finds out. Following an investigation into the man’s death, they will review this rule.
The investigation looked at his history; he had cancer in his 20s but survived. He went to St. Michael’s heart failure unit before entering prison in June 2022. He had a scan set for August 13, 2022 at another hospital. The hospital called Wheatfield Prison to plan, learning his family also knew about it.
Consequently, authorities cancelled the appointment and asked the hospital to reschedule. An officer asked him about the yard matter on October 23, 2022, but he just grunted, so the officer took it as a “no.”
About ninety minutes later, another officer found him after announcing tea was ready. The man was in his cell, facing the wall and unresponsive. A nurse came and called a “Code Red” with no pulse, no breathing, and blood pooling on his body. His pupils did not react.
They decided not to do CPR and called an ambulance instead. Prison staff said no GPs were free, meaning a doctor couldn’t come until the next day. Local police got their doctor to go, who pronounced him dead at the prison.
This was discussed in a review meeting and now, the prison has a full-time doctor. Other prisoners shared memories with investigators, calling him kind and a “true gent.” They said he was happy and joking earlier, before he passed away.
He was serving a three and a half year sentence and would have been released next week, in February 2025. His parents praised his care and the support he received in prison, which they thought helped him and brought them comfort. He wanted his things given away and shared with other prisoners, some who may lack similar family support.