A 23-year-old male prisoner took a lethal overdose of heroin while detained at Wheatfield Prison, Dublin, over half a decade ago, according to an inquest. Thomas Stokes was provided with special rights in jail because of his good conduct and resided in a section where it was “rare” for someone to be taking heroin when he passed away, the Dublin District Coroner’s Court was told Monday.
The inquest’s jury delivered a misadventure verdict. Stokes succumbed at Tallaght University Hospital on September 17th, 2017, the day after he was found lifeless in his solitary cell. Joseph Hernon, the deputy governor of Wheatfield Prison, informed the inquest that given that every housed prisoner in East Division (where Stokes’ cell was situated) was on an upgraded list for respectable behaviour and were typically more mature, it was unlikely they had a drug issue at that time.
Hernon said generally, drug abuse is an issue in all Irish prisons. The court heard that Stokes was recommended to a prison addiction counsellor during his imprisonment. His cell was searched several times but no heroin was found, and it is still unknown how he got hold of the drug.
The late Stokes’ brother, Martin, recalled to the court that his brother was in high spirits and was very humorous in the days leading to his death. He also stated that he was coping well with jail life and accepted the situation. Stokes, the youngest of 11 children, took drugs “occasionally” before being incarcerated, his brother conveyed, adding that he was unaware of Stokes’ drug habits whilst in jail. Martin Stokes expressed his shock when he learned that Stokes was taken to Tallaght Hospital and doctors discovered that the damage to his organs was too severe to be reversed.
The court heard from Philip Neenan, a prison officer, who explained his hourly check-ups on Mr Stokes from the night of September 15th into September 16th, in accordance with prison regulations. These checks involved Mr Neenan observing Mr Stokes through a small opening in the cell door.
Neenan’s testimony revealed that Stokes spent some time watching television in his cell before turning out the light and ostensibly going to sleep. “There was nothing unusual about his behaviour that night,” he said.
Despite previous allegations that Mr Stokes had been crying out for help and pounding at his cell door that night, Mr Neenan reported no disturbances. When questioned by Asim Sheikh BL, who represented the Irish Prison Service, he denied noting any signs of trouble or hearing any noise.
The following morning, Mr Stokes was discovered unresponsive in his bed. The discoverer, an officer named Brian Kavanagh, found him at around 8am and immediately initiated a call for assistance. Nurse Cecelia Conway arrived in mere minutes and began to perform CPR.
Around 8.40am, Dublin Fire Brigade arrived and took over, using a mechanical CPR machine in their resuscitation attempts. Mr Stokes, suspected to have suffered an opioid overdose, was given naloxone. These efforts resulted in him spontaneously resuming breathing.
By 9.15am, Mr Stokes was transported from his cell to Tallaght hospital, arriving there at 9.33am. Later that day, a CT scan exposed severe brain injuries and he was declared dead at 1.54am the next day, September 17th.
A postmortem examination conducted by Dr Michael Curtis concluded that Mr Stokes’ cause of death was brain damage following an inadequate supply of oxygenated blood, secondary to heroin intoxication. They also discovered traces of heroin intoxication and minor quantities of codeine and morphine in his system.
Coroner Dr Clare Keane remarked how odd it was for Mr Stokes, an enhanced prisoner who enjoyed additional privileges due to good behaviour, to die in this manner.
According to Mr Hernon, drug problems persist throughout the Irish penal system. He mentioned that the Irish Prison Service is addressing this issue by adopting a varied approach, which incorporates regular surprise cell inspections, detector canines, rehabilitation programs for inmates, visitor screenings, and surveillance through drones.
He also shared an observation that the drug preferences of inmates seemed to have modified over the years, with pills growing in popularity over heroin. He attributed this to inmates considering heroin to be more harmful.
In respect to modifications in the prison policy, since 2018, inmates have been subjected to fewer spot checks during the night time, in order to respect their privacy and human rights, Mr Hernon added. Additionally, in a recent policy update, checks on inmates with special observation status are now recorded electronically.