An inmate at Mountjoy Prison resorted to swallowing batteries in order to get medical attention, an inquest heard.
Kenneth Doona (33) from School Street, Dublin 8, was found hanging in his cell that night and died two days later at the Mater hospital from a hypoxic brain injury.
Dublin Coroner’s Court heard that Doona was in “agony” with a hernia for two to three months before his death, and that he made numerous complaints to prison staff and medics.
Another prisoner at the time, Paul Connolly, said that in the early hours of April 14th, 2013 — the day of the hanging — Doona was shouting at medical staff and officers for pain relief and “all they would give him was paracetamol”. Connolly saw the hernia several times, he testified, and it was the “size of an egg”.
The dead man was seen by the prison GP at 9.30am, and he complained of pain from the hernia. He was advised to rest and that he had an upcoming appointment at the Mater for the ailment. However, at 12.15pm he requested to see a nurse.
At this point he swallowed two batteries in front of a prison nurse, saying: “Now, I done that because youse are doing nothing for me about this pain.”
The advice given to Doona by the GP was reiterated, the inquest heard, and the nurse told prison officers that no further medical intervention was required regarding the batteries, but that he was available to review Doona at any point.
Fall down stairs
Doona subsequently fell down a flight of stairs, hurting his right arm, but he refused pain relief.
Another prisoner, Dermot Griffin, testified that before they were locked into their cells Doona said he had taken two tablets to help him sleep.
He was found hanging at 11.24pm by prison officer Conor Guinan, who said that he had spoken to Doona 25 minutes earlier. Doona had assured him he would be “no trouble” that night.
When Mr Guinan checked the cell at 11.24pm, he initially thought the inmate was standing in front of the viewing panel. But on looking up, he saw that he was hanging from a ligature. He raised the alarm. Staff cut Doona down and CPR was commenced.
Counsel for the family Luigi Rea raised concerns about the length of time between cell checks carried out on the night. Prisoners under special observations should be checked every 15 to 20 minutes. There was a 57-minute gap between observations at one point, he said.
Brain injury
State Pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy said the cause of death was hypoxic brain injury as a result of hanging. A laceration found on the head was a “flesh wound”. During the autopsy two AAA batteries were found in the stomach.
Prof Cassidy said that, in her opinion, someone who has swallowed batteries should be sent to hospital.
“I wouldn’t have thought that any treatment given without medical supervision would have been wise in a case like that. Particularly if he had problems with a hernia.
“The problem could be that the batteries might get lodged in the hernia and cause serious problems. He would get strangulation of the hernia or obstruction of the bowel,” Prof Cassidy said.
The inquest continues.