The inquest opened yesterday into the death in Garda custody of Terence Wheelock, a 20-year-old Dubliner whose family has launched a campaign saying he was never the kind of person to commit suicide.
Gardaí gave evidence yesterday that Mr Wheelock was caught "red-handed" fleeing from a stolen car and later died after he apparently attempted to hang himself in a cell.
The father of Mr Wheelock (20), Summerhill, Dublin, told Dublin City Coroner's Court yesterday that his son never suffered from mental illness and had never attempted to harm himself in the past.
Mr Wheelock was found unconscious in a cell at Store Street Garda station last June after he apparently attempted to hang himself with a cord from his tracksuit bottoms. He was brought to the Mater hospital but never regained consciousness. He died on September 16th, 2005.
Garda Tadhg O'Leary told the court he arrested Mr Wheelock after he observed him fleeing along with three others from a stolen Toyota Yaris in a back garden nearby his home. "I heard a shout of 'garda'. Then Terence Wheelock, who is known to me, jumped from the passenger seat. All four ran from the car."
Up to eight gardaí gave chase and eventually cornered the four men, who did not resist arrest.
"Effectively, the four suspects were surrounded. They ran into a garden and then gave themselves up," Garda Steve Mulqueen said in evidence.
Mr Wheelock was handcuffed and brought by van to Store Street Garda station. When questioned by Seán Gillane, barrister for the family, arresting gardaí disagreed that Mr Wheelock complained about being handcuffed behind his back despite a recently healed broken arm. Arresting gardaí also said they did not believe Mr Wheelock banged his head in the van.
Mr Wheelock was placed in a single cell and searched by Garda Mulqueen at 12.20pm.
"Under the circumstances, Wheelock seemed in good spirits . . . He seemed fine to me," the garda said.
When questioned by Mr Gillane, Garda Mulqueen denied that gardaí made references to text messages on his confiscated mobile phone in an attempt to wind him up. He said: "Did not happen."
When they took him into custody, gardaí discovered that Mr Wheelock had two outstanding bench warrants. He was to be taken to a sitting of the Bridewell District Court in the afternoon but was discovered unconscious in his cell with a ligature around his neck just over two hours after his arrest.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell queried whether cords from tracksuit bottoms were ever taken from prisoners in custody during a search. Garda Linda Brosnan said this would happen in instances when the prisoner was considered to be at high risk. She said she believed the alarm bell in Mr Wheelock's cell was working as others were functioning that day, but did not recall him pressing it.
The Wheelock family have publicly alleged that they have been subjected to harassment and intimidation by gardaí following their high-profile "Justice for Terence" campaign. Normally gardaí enlist juries for inquests but the coroner's office secured the jury for Mr Wheelock's hearing at the request of the Wheelock family's legal team.
The inquest continues today.