Cellmate tried to get help

A prison inmate banged the door of his cell but was unsuccessful in attempts to alert guards that his cellmate had just had a fit, an inquest heard yesterday.

William Baker (25) was speaking at a Dublin City Coroner's Court inquest into the death of Seán Dinnegan (33), of Canal Avenue, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, on May 21st, 2004.

Mr Dinnegan died following an epileptic seizure on the first night of a five-day sentence in Mountjoy Prison for failing to pay a €100 fine.

Mr Baker said he awoke to his bed shaking like "thunder and lightning" at about 2.30am, as Mr Dinnegan was having a fit.

He called for help but got no response and after checking Mr Dinnegan was breathing he returned to bed. Mr Dinnegan later had a second fit. He was found dead in the cell early the next morning.

Mr Dinnegan's sister, Kathleen Dinnegan, told the court the family tried to ensure that "Sean" took his medication daily as he could be "forgetful" and that they delivered his prescription to the Garda station in Mullingar prior to his transfer to Mountjoy.

Ms Dinnegan said she told a Garda over the phone it was "a matter of life or death" that her brother receive his medication.

She said the family received a message the following morning advising them to contact the Mater hospital in Dublin, but it had no record of Mr Dinnegan. She phoned Mountjoy at 8.30am and was told it was "breakfast time". She later received a phone call from the prison chaplain, who said her brother had died.

© 2007 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times