Prisoner bled to death, inquest hears

The jury at an inquest into the death of a prisoner accused of killing his wife have recommended that staff levels at Cloverhill Prison be urgently reviewed.

Father-of-two Mariusz Daniel Sarzynski, aged 37, of Bective House, Beaufort Place, Navan, Co Meath, used a razor he hid from prison officers to inflict cuts to his arms that resulted in his bleeding to death. He was found unresponsive in his cell on August 26, 2014, and was pronounced dead a short time later at Tallaght Hospital.

Returning an open verdict by majority, the jury recommended prison procedures in relation to the issuing of razor blades in hospital be reviewed and more stringent procedures be put in place when a prisoner is outside of the prison environment.

Mr Sarzynski had spent six weeks in the Central Mental Hospital where he was diagnosed with an adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressive reaction with risk of self harm. He was sent back to Cloverhill Prison on May 15 but was seen over 20 times by a clinical psychologist in the weeks before his death.

State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy said his entire body was coated in blood and there were three sets of cuts to his neck, right arm and left arm, resulting in a fatal slow bleed.

Concluding the inquest at Dublin Coroner’s Court, Dr Brian Farrell said he would write to the Prison Service to outline recommendations.