Prison service considering use of body scanners to detect drugs following death of inmate 

Investigation concerns the death of a 32-year-old male prisoner, who died in Limerick Prison on November 15, 2020, during the covid lockdown

Limerick Prison: Man was suspected of having drugs on his person. Picture: Dan Linehan

The Irish Prison Service (IPS) is researching the use of body scanners for the detection of drugs after the death of a prisoner in custody who had returned from temporary release.

In response to an investigation into the death of the prisoner, the IPS said it was "currently carrying out research on the use of a body imaging device for the purpose of detecting concealed contraband”.

The investigation included a query from the dead man's family as to why no such body scanner is currently in use within prisons. 

The investigation in question, conducted by the Office of the Inspector of Prisons, concerns the death of a 32-year-old male prisoner, who died in Limerick Prison on November 15, 2020, during the covid lockdown.

The man had been released on compassionate leave by the prison on November 9 to attend the funeral of his infant son.

Upon returning to the prison two days later, the inmate, who was serving an 18-month sentence, was suspected of having drugs on his person by personnel. He denied it, and was placed in isolation in a special observation cell, where he remained until his death four days later.

During that period, he was observed as a matter of routine by prison officials who on multiple occasions noted the man appeared unsteady and disoriented, as if under the influence of a substance.

The man repeatedly requested to be placed back in his own cell, something he appeared to be “extremely anxious” about. He repeatedly refused to provide a urine sample, and his request to return to his own landing was not granted.

Confusion surrounded the reasons why the prisoner was placed in the special observation cell, with some accounts suggesting it was because officials believed he had drugs on his person, and others stating it related to the covid-19 protocols in place at the prison at the time.

The investigating team made no recommendation regarding the lack of a body scanner within the prisons system. However, it did say should a prisoner be suspected of concealed drugs internally while in isolation, they should be observed by healthcare professionals, and not security personnel. 

In response to a query regarding the lack of a body scanner within the IPS, a spokesperson for the service said it was “committed to continuing to invest in new technologies and measures to support our efforts to keep contraband out of prisons” adding the prevention of access of contraband into prisons “continues to be a high priority”.

They said the IPS is subject to “high-level engagement” with An Garda Síochána aimed at disrupting and prosecuting attempts to smuggle drugs into Irish prisons.

Last year, the Office of the Inspector of Prisons called for the prison service to intensify its interactions with gardaí to develop a multi-agency written strategy to tackle the problem of drugs getting into prisons.