Post mortem carried out on body of Coolock shooting’s prime suspect

A POST-MORTEM examination was carried out last night on the body of the man who died while in garda custody in Dublin early yesterday.

Dwayne Foster, aged 24, died in hospital after developing health problems in custody but gardaí said there was no question of garda mistreatment.

Mr Foster was one of five people arrested in Co Kildare in connection with Sunday’s cold-blooded murder in Coolock. The dead man was the chief suspect in the investigation into the shooting of mother-of-one Donna Cleary.

Foster was known to gardaí and suffered from throat cancer.

Garda spokesman Superintendent Kevin Donohue said all Mr Foster’s interview sessions at Coolock Garda Station were videotaped and there was no question of any maltreatment.

Gardaí believe three men took part in the shooting and Foster, from Finglas, was the trigger man.

Three of the five people arrested were taken to Santry Garda Station but Mr Foster, along with another man, were held at Coolock.

Gardaí said he complained of being unwell throughout Monday and was treated by a doctor three times.

He felt unwell again at around 9pm on Monday and was taken to Beaumont Hospital, where he was treated and released back into custody.

However, at around 3am yesterday an ambulance was called to Coolock and Mr Foster was returned to Beaumont Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 3.15am.

Three men and one woman are still being questioned in connection with the murder of Ms Cleary.

Ms Cleary, who was 22, was shot dead when three men opened fire on a house at Adare Green in Coolock after being refused entry to a birthday party.

A Chief Superintendent has been appointed to investigate the man’s death. However, Labour TD Joe Costello has said the matter should be handed over to the new Garda Ombudsman Commission.

Meanwhile, judges are considering comments following the shooting by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Justice Minister Michael McDowell on serious crime sentencing. Mr Ahern questioned if sentences were too lenient. Mr McDowell said drug crime should be dealt with severely.