Man who died in cell arrested in connection with drugs offence

THE Dublin man who died in a Garda station cell on the weekend was arrested in connection with the possession of drugs.

Mark Reid, aged 32, from Drimnagh, south Dublin, was taken into custody early on Sunday morning. A post mortem on his body was carried out by deputy State Pathologist Michael Curtis yesterday at 2pm yesterday.

However, its details were not expected to be released last night as an investigation was underway into how the man died in Garda custody. Toxicology tests on Mr Reid’s remains are expected to take place to help establish the cause of death. This may take weeks to complete.

Mr Reid was arrested at 3am on Sunday on foot of a number of arrest warrants relating to drugs. He was taken to Terenure Garda Station. However when officers went to check on the man at 8am, he was unconscious.

He was later pronounced dead after being taken to St James’s Hospital.

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) were immediately called into investigate the death, as is procedure under law.

The dead man’s cell was forensically examined. A number of gardaí at Terenure Garda Station were also interviewed by investigators with the GSOC.

Gardaí officially refused to comment further about the death yesterday. However, the Irish Examiner understands the 32-year-old man was wanted by gardaí in connection with possessing drugs.

“He had a history of minor infringements,” said a source.

The GSOC refused to comment yesterday other than to say an investigation into the man’s death was ongoing.

Its offices are expected to release its first full-year report on inquiries into gardaí, as well complaints received, this coming March.

Over 2,000 complaints and incidents were forwarded to the GSOC’s offices by December, less than a year into its operations.

These included over 200 referrals from gardaí, including incidents where their conduct, on or off duty, may have resulted in harm or possibly even death.