Probe into death in police vehicle

The Garda watchdog body has launched an investigation into the circumstances of a man’s fatal collapse in the back of a Garda vehicle shortly after his arrest outside a Co Mayo nightclub early yesterday morning.

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission has issued an appeal for witnesses to an incident at a licensed premises in Castlebar which resulted in gardaí being called to the scene.

The dead man has been named as Paraic O’Donnell, a 39-year-old single man and father of one from Ashleam, Achill, Co Mayo.

Mr O’Donnell was arrested by gardaí after they were called to a disturbance outside Cox’s Bar and Restaurant in Castlebar, Co Mayo, at around 1am yesterday. It is understood he had been ejected from the building a short time earlier by bar staff after being involved in a scuffle on the premises.

On arrival at Castlebar Garda Station in a short distance away, the arresting officers found Mr O’Donnell in an unresponsive state.

An ambulance was called to the scene as gardaí attempted to revive him. He was rushed to the nearby Mayo General Hospital, but Mr O’Donnell was pronounced dead a short time later.

Gardaí in Castlebar informed the GSOC of the death — a standard and obligatory procedure when somebody dies in Garda custody.

The scenes around both Cox’s bar and Castlebar Garda Station were sealed off for forensic examination.

The results of an autopsy being conducted by deputy State pathologist Dr Michael Curtis were expected to be made available last night.

The dead man, who is father of a five-year-old daughter, is the son of Patrick and Peggy O’Donnell and a member of a well-known and respected family on Achill Island.