Garda Ombudsman investigates death of homeless man

Deceased was seen slumped on a bench in Nenagh, Co Tipperary on Thursday evening

The Garda Ombudsman has commenced an inquiry into the death of a homeless man in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, on Thursday evening. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
The Garda Ombudsman has commenced an inquiry into the death of a homeless man in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, on Thursday evening. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times

The Garda Ombudsman has opened an investigation into the death of a homeless man in Tipperary.

GSOC said gardaí and an ambulance were called at about 7.30pm on Thursday evening when a man was seen slumped on a bench on Kenyon Street.

He was pronounced dead just after 8pm and his body was transferred to University Hospital Limerick, a spokeswoman for the ombudsman said. The deceased was in his early 60s.

The case was referred by An Garda Síochána to GSOC as part of routine procedure because there had been contact between gardaí and the man before he died.

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Gardaí reported they had observed the man lying on the ground at Ballygraigue Road, Nenagh during the afternoon and that they had given him a lift to the homeless shelter on Kenyon Street.

GSOC investigators travelled to Nenagh on Friday morning and a postmortem was also due to take place.

By law there must be investigation by an independent agency when there has been death or serious harm to a person and there has been contact with a garda prior to this.