Garda CPR training a good idea, says mother

The mother of a man who died after being restrained during a drugs raid has welcomed a jury’s recommendation that gardaí receive training in CPR and restraint techniques.

Noreen O’Mahoney was speaking yesterday after a jury at Cork City Coroner’s Court returned a verdict of misadventure in relation to the death of her son, David O’Mahoney, in Cork in 2007.

Her family accepted drugs played a major role in his death but said they still have concerns about how he was restrained.

The jury recommended gardaí receive ongoing professional, on-site training that would include CPR and restraint techniques.

They also asked coroner Myra Cullinane to draw to the attention of the relevant authorities their concerns about the communication between ambulance crews and control, about procedures around shift changes at ambulance bases, and to review GPS systems in ambulances to improve time-tracking.

Ms O’Mahoney said: “We have been, and remain, devastated by his death and we know that he didn’t have to die that night. We’re just glad the truth came out.”

Mr O’Mahony, 22, of 8 McSwiney Villas, Gurranabraher, Cork, became agitated while gardaí were searching the house on foot of a search warrant on Nov 14, 2007.

He was restrained by four gardaí, handcuffed with his hands behind his back, and placed on a couch before he suffered a seizure.

He failed to respond to 62 minutes of CPR at the scene, and was rushed to Cork University Hospital where he was pronounced dead just after 9pm.

The Garda Siochána Ombudsman Commission investigated the death and sent a file to the DPP who directed that no gardaí should face charges arising from the death.

Assistant state pathologist Margot Bolster told the inquest, midweek, that Mr O’Mahoney had taken cocaine, heroin, alcohol, and probably cannabis, and that there was a lethal dose of lignocaine — a cocaine bulking agent — in his system.

She said that while the restraint was a factor in the death, the actual cause of death was cocaine, alcohol, and lignocaine toxicity during restraint.

Richard Shepherd, a UK-based consultant forensic pathologist who specialises in death in custody cases, said there was no pathological evidence of excessive or forceful restraint on Mr O’Mahoney’s body and he ruled out traumatic asphyxiation as the cause of death.

But both pathologists agreed that death occurred at that time because of the stress arising from Mr O’Mahoney’s struggle during the handcuffing process.

“The advanced paramedic described to the ambulance control a scene where the four gardaí were sitting on the steps of the house, panicked and nearly crying, thinking they were after killing David,” said Ms O’Mahoney.

“We would never have known these comments had there not been a tape.

“We know that it is hard to stand up to the gardaí but what about standing up for David?

“We know the truth — we were just hoping that others would confirm it.”

The family criticised the year-long delay before gardaí were interviewed about the case and thanked GSOC for its work on the case.

“In the last few years, we have heard time and time again that since it is the gardaí that are involved, nothing will happen, and yes it has been a struggle getting information that we are entitled to.

“With David out in St Catherine’s cemetery for almost five years, it still seems to be business as usual for the gardaí that were present that night, with no apparent consequences.”