Death of Sean Hayes Barrett in Limerick jail (never charged, CCTV disappeared)

Always Tired

Very strange and sad story.

A young man with no previous, who was on medication for a mental health issue, was locked up for 20 days in Limerick prison despite not being charged with any crime. After being put in isolation, he committed suicide in his cell.

The gardai never gave him his medication after locking him up, they were supposed to check on him every 15 minutes and failed to do that, too.

They have not told his parents or anyone why he was arrested and he was never charged with anything. Which is incredibly bizarre. Many who are arrested and charged are not held for any time at all, maybe for a night if drunk and let out in the morning.

When this was investigated, the CCTV in the jail just happened to disappear. Which is a joke and points to an obvious coverup/corruption.

So many things wrong about this. We hear all the time people complaining about our lenient justice system, but here we have a young man kept locked up for no reason for almost a month and denied his medication, not looked after, and then evidence of the negligence destroyed. How can this be allowed to happen?

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/inquest-hears-vulnerable-man-died-in-cell-in-watershed-event-for-prison-service-966032.html

I heard that on the news yesterday evening.

They said they still had not told anyone why he was arrested!

It's outrageous to treat a family like that.

Wanderer78

We re in serious trouble regarding mental health services

Always Tired

I don't understand how they can even hold him in jail like that for 20 days without charge, and then put him in isolation as well.

Combined with the CCTV conveniently being 'lost' something about this stinks to high heaven and there should be a much more thorough investigation made. There must be a protocol for length of time you can hold someone without charge. Usually you'll get a charge sheet within hours of an arrest. I've a feeling there's a big piece missing here, maybe he pissed off the wrong person in the jail. But he had never been in trouble before.

No accountability with the gardai. Complaints to the ombudsman always end with 'we investigated ourselves and found we did nothing wrong'.

Yurt2

What in god's name was he doing on remand in prison if he wasn't charged? Even if he was charged by the DPP wouldn't it be extremely unusual for him to be detained as opposed to being on bail?

Some serious violations of civil rights in this case.

Saw the father talking on the news, poor man was heartbroken

Always Tired

Yurt! wrote: »

What in god's name was he doing on remand in prison if he wasn't charged? Even if he was charged by the DPP wouldn't it be extremely unusual for him to be detained as opposed to being on bail?

Some serious violations of civil rights in this case.

Saw the father talking on the news, poor man was heartbroken

It's extremely unusual. In fact, it's unheard of as far as I know and imo, unthinkable and certainly a human rights violation. My neighbour a few doors down with a long list of convictions stabbed one of his family members and wasnt even remanded in custody (he did get a jail sentence but was out while he awaited trial.) I live in an estate where lots of people are, as they say, 'known to gardai', usually stuff to do with drink/fights etc and they never get kept in more than a night.

So this is extremely unusual and for no explanation to be given just cannot be acceptable and I can't believe more people aren't talking about this, a man with mental health issues who had never been in trouble before. As far as I'm concerned, with all the missing info, missing CCTV, you can't even take it at face value that he died by his own hand. Even so, denying him his meds and putting him in isolation, not doing the checks, the gardai/limerick prison are responsible for his death, absolutely.

But instead most people are more worried about people on the dole getting a Christmas bonus or whatever.

Always Tired

According to the Sun article on the case, the man was in the psychiatric unit of Limerick University Hospital for five weeks prior to his incarceration. It doesnt make clear whether he was transferred to jail from the hospital or if there was time in between his hospital stay and being jailed.

I've a family member who works in a psych ward. It's quite common for staff to be assaulted, but the patients are almost never arrested for it. If he was in possession of drugs that would be a simple case that would not require remand or this mysterious silence. It seems unlikely then that he was jailed for something that happened at the hospital. I can't imagine why he would have been held on remand unless he was suspected of a violent crime or had some behaviour that was too much for the hospital to handle.

This case really bothers me despite him being a complete stranger, can't imagine how his family feel.

Philipx

Always Tired wrote: »

This case really bothers me despite him being a complete stranger, can't imagine how his family feel.

Perhaps if it really bothered you, you might care to do some proper research on the matter.

He was in a Prison.

His custody & care while in prison is absolutely nothing to do with the Gardaí - the Prison Service run the prisons.

He was refused bail by the District Court - therefore he was before the Court on a charge and remanded in custody.

Limerick Leader

That's how the system works - you are summonsed/charged, brought before a court and remanded either on bail or in custody.

But don't let that get in the way of your anti-Garda diatribe.

mynamejeff

A tragic case and another example of the awful state of our mental health system in this country

or some reason the OP is trying to make this a anti garda rant in spite of the fact that they had nothing to do with anything apart from possible bringing it to light via the investigation into his death.

no judge in Ireland would remand some one in custody for no reason and with no paper work,
no prison governor or even prison officer would accept a prisoner through the door with out the correct paper warrant
it is not easy to get remanded in custody but some of the reasons may be refusal to take up bail ,ie wont sign bail bond , not have a place of residence ie the parents wouldn't let him home because of his mental health issues as it may not be safe . or he was a danger to some one

the main problem here is only having half the information and people jumping to conclusions based on that

Rubberchikken

maube the gardai arent to blame in this particular situation. maybe the responsibility does rest with prison service staff who are no more law abiding and upstanding than many members of our so-called police.

the lack of proper efficient treatment for people with mental health issues in this country is appalling.
the level of cover-your-ass attitude amongst people in positions of so-called power is also appalkibg

splinter65

Always Tired wrote: »

I don't understand how they can even hold him in jail like that for 20 days without charge, and then put him in isolation as well.

Combined with the CCTV conveniently being 'lost' something about this stinks to high heaven and there should be a much more thorough investigation made. There must be a protocol for length of time you can hold someone without charge. Usually you'll get a charge sheet within hours of an arrest. I've a feeling there's a big piece missing here, maybe he pissed off the wrong person in the jail. But he had never been in trouble before.

No accountability with the gardai. Complaints to the ombudsman always end with 'we investigated ourselves and found we did nothing wrong'.

What’s this got to do with the Gardaí? You do know that the Gardaí don’t work in the prison??

splinter65

Rubberchikken wrote: »

maube the gardai arent to blame in this particular situation. maybe the responsibility does rest with prison service staff who are no more law abiding and upstanding than many members of our so-called police.

the lack of proper efficient treatment for people with mental health issues in this country is appalling.
the level of cover-your-ass attitude amongst people in positions of so-called power is also appalkibg

How would the Gardaí have anything at all to do with a guy dying in prison?

BDI

So the fella was on remand for a crime that wasn’t reported on.

That’s all we know?

There are plenty of reasons the news or gaurds don’t report on certain crimes.

Get Real

Always Tired wrote: »

Very strange and sad story.

despite not being charged with any crime.

The gardai never gave him his medication... they were supposed to check on him every 15 minutes and failed..

...and he was never charged...Which is a joke and points to an obvious coverup/corruption.

but here we have a young man kept locked up for no reason for almost a month

Firstly, a tragic case, and no family should have to endure this happening to their son. However there are some biased/wild speculations on your part.

1.People cant go to prison without being charged. A judge needs a charge/physical paperwork before the court to remand someone in prison.

2. The gardai don't work in/run prisons

3. Although now deceased, every person has a right to privacy, and anyone over 18, the state can't just go telling people "he was charged with x". How many people in their 30s charged every week have their parents rang up and told? You, or I, or any newspaper has no right to know that out of respect for the man.

4. There are certain charges that are serious enough where the district court can't legally give bail. Happens all the time. I'm not going to speculate on what types of charges.

5. You say again he was never charged, and I revert to my first point, a judge isn't going to remand someone who isn't charged. A charge has to be before the courts. In fact, any person has to be charged/summonsed to even be before a court in the first place. So your assertion he wasn't charged would mean he just attended a random court and was put in jail one day?

6. You mention in another post re gsoc. Firstly, he was in the care of the prison service, so gsoc doesn't even apply here. Secondly, civilians work in gsoc, not guards, so there is no big conspiracy.

7. What's the obvious corruption in your view?

8. Again, a tragic case, and I believe more needs to be done to facilitate metal health services generally, and also within prisons in the State.

9. Your post contains many unfounded assertions. Just because we don't know what he was charged with, doesn't mean he wasn't charged, again it's impossible to just end up in prison without a judge's order on a physical charge sheet. Furthermore, I don't want to know what he was charged with, and am glad it's not all over some red top rag of a newspaper. Out of respect for the deceased, he is entitled to his privacy and me, you or nosy Mary across the road aren't entitled to know his business. I also disagree with you using it to push an agenda you may have.

Yurt2

Get Real wrote: »

Firstly, a tragic case, and no family should have to endure this happening to their son. However there are some biased/wild speculations on your part.

1.People cant go to prison without being charged. A judge needs a charge/physical paperwork before the court to remand someone in prison.

2. The gardai don't work in/run prisons

3. Although now deceased, every person has a right to privacy, and anyone over 18, the state can't just go telling people "he was charged with x". How many people in their 30s charged every week have their parents rang up and told? You, or I, or any newspaper has no right to know that out of respect for the man.

4. There are certain charges that are serious enough where the district court can't legally give bail. Happens all the time. I'm not going to speculate on what types of charges.

5. You say again he was never charged, and I revert to my first point, a judge isn't going to remand someone who isn't charged. A charge has to be before the courts. In fact, any person has to be charged/summonsed to even be before a court in the first place. So your assertion he wasn't charged would mean he just attended a random court and was put in jail one day?

6. You mention in another post re gsoc. Firstly, he was in the care of the prison service, so gsoc doesn't even apply here. Secondly, civilians work in gsoc, not guards, so there is no big conspiracy.

7. What's the obvious corruption in your view?

8. Again, a tragic case, and I believe more needs to be done to facilitate metal health services generally, and also within prisons in the State.

9. Your post contains many unfounded assertions. Just because we don't know what he was charged with, doesn't mean he wasn't charged, again it's impossible to just end up in prison without a judge's order on a physical charge sheet. Furthermore, I don't want to know what he was charged with, and am glad it's not all over some red top rag of a newspaper. Out of respect for the deceased, he is entitled to his privacy and me, you or nosy Mary across the road aren't entitled to know his business. I also disagree with you using it to push an agenda you may have.

In relation to point 1. Individuals refused permission to to land in Ireland have been sent to Mountjoy or other prison facilities ahead of their flight back to whence they came. No DPP, no charge, no judge. So that point is demonstrably false. UN Human Rights Panel has commented on it.

So it wouldn't surprise me in the least if AGS play fast and loose in other inconvenient cases.

blanch152

Yurt! wrote: »

In relation to point 1. Individuals refused permission to to land in Ireland have been sent to Mountjoy or other prison facilities ahead of their flight back to whence they came. No DPP, no charge, no judge. So that point is demonstrably false. UN Human Rights Panel has commented on it.

So it wouldn't surprise me in the least if AGS play fast and loose in other inconvenient cases.

Even when a link has already been posted in this thread that confirmed that "he was committed to Limerick Prison having been refused bail by the district court", and therefore the gardai had nothing to do with it, we still have posters putting up ignorant accusations like this.

Always Tired

Apologies for saying gardai when I meant the prison guards. The gardai would still be responsible for arresting him, which they did without explanation, still YEARS later.

A man died in Cloverhill prison last night as well. We need more accountability and monitoring, CCTV and bodycams should always be in use and no footage should be going missing after someone dies.

Sonny noggs

What a **** thread. Complete misrepresentation of the facts by the OP to further some BS agenda. Shut it down, mods.

blanch152

Always Tired wrote: »

Apologies for saying gardai when I meant the prison guards. The gardai would still be responsible for arresting him, which they did without explanation, still YEARS later.

A man died in Cloverhill prison last night as well. We need more accountability and monitoring, CCTV and bodycams should always be in use and no footage should be going missing after someone dies.

Are you going to apologies for all the other lies?

endacl

I’d like to know what the Post Office have to say on the matter. I presume they’re just going to bury their heads in the sand and cover each other’s backs. Probably also with sand.

As per usual.

Yurt2

blanch152 wrote: »

Even when a link has already been posted in this thread that confirmed that "he was committed to Limerick Prison having been refused bail by the district court", and therefore the gardai had nothing to do with it, we still have posters putting up ignorant accusations like this.

I merely made the point that individuals can and frequently are sent to prison facilities without being charged with a crime (and gave a pertinent example). It's a point of fact. No need to lose your wig over it.

blanch152

Yurt! wrote: »

I merely made the point that individuals can and frequently are sent to prison facilities without being charged with a crime (and gave a pertinent example). It's a point of fact. No need to lose your wig over it.

You gave one example of where people have entered this country illegally and are being immediately deported, charging them would give them status, so it really isn't an issue and perfectly explainable.

However, that is not what I took issue with, you then said you wouldn't be surprised "if AGS play fast and loose in other inconvenient cases". Now I took issue with that because it has been shown already on this thread that AGS had nothing to do with this case.

mynamejeff

Always Tired wrote: »

Apologies for saying gardai when I meant the prison guards. The gardai would still be responsible for arresting him, which they did without explanation, still YEARS later.

A man died in Cloverhill prison last night as well. We need more accountability and monitoring, CCTV and bodycams should always be in use and no footage should be going missing after someone dies.

Just because no one explained it to you you mean ?

how would you prevent one inmate from hurting another ? total isolation like supermax in the states or Russian prisons ?

you made a load of very silly statments already in this thread , why compound it

you clearly just have a "issue " and are using this poor mans death to beat your drum ,

Fair play to you pal