Prisoner died after smoking heroin while watching TV

A PRISONER died in his cell after spending a Saturday night smoking heroin and watching Sky Sports with his cell mate until near daybreak.

An inquest heard the tragic details yesterday as life inside Limerick Prison was briefly unlocked for public scrutiny.

Kenneth Kelly, 22, a habitual drug abuser, died in his cell after smoking heroin while watching boxing on Sky Sports with cell mate Gerard Ryan.

State pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy said Mr Kelly, of St Mary’s Park, choked to death, caused by heroin and valium.

Detective Garda Mick Murphy told the inquest he took a statement from prisoner Ryan following the fatality, which occurred on May 7, 2006. Both men shared the same cell and, on that night, Ryan told the garda the pair, had been watching Sky Sport on their in-cell TV. The deceased was in the top bunk.

Earlier, they had obtained two bags of heroin from “a fellow on the landing”.

They started smoking the heroin, using tin foil they took from the back of a mirror. Kenneth fell asleep at some stage and he heard him snore. Ryan said he stayed awake until 5.40am when he turned off the TV.

The next thing Ryan remembered was being awoken by a medical officer who called to the cell to give him methadone.

The officer tried to wake, Kelly but couldn’t. Help was summoned and efforts were made to revive Kelly who was later pronounced dead at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital.

Ryan said he did not hear a groan or anything like that from his cell-mate during the night.

Chief prison officer Brian Cronin, cross-examined by John Devane, solicitor for Kelly’s family, said there was no report of a claim by Ryan he had banged on the cell door to get attention after his cell mate lapsed into unconsciousness.

Mr Devane claimed the family of the deceased was concerned he was put into a cell with a known heroin user and had asked the authorities to move him.

Dr Cassidy said she found no signs of injury or violence on the body during a postmortem.

Dr Cassidy said the tolerance of habitual heroin users to the drug can decrease when it was not taken regularly.

This in turn, she said, can lead to a relaxation of the central nervous system and a tendency to choke.

Such a person would not appreciate a deterioration in their condition as they would go into a deep sleep.

It was clear a drug had been taken and that Kelly had choked on his vomit caused by taking the drug.

A verdict of misadventure in accordance with the medical evidence was returned.