Tragic inmate 'was bullied to take in drugs'
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A YOUNG man who died of an overdose in a padded cell at Mountjoy Prison may have been forced to smuggle in the drugs for other criminals.
Gardai are now investigating if Mark Kelly (24) was bullied into bringing in a large cache of heroin after returning from a period of temporary release for his mother's funeral.
He was found unconscious in a monitoring cell at the jail at 2am on Saturday, after suffering the effects of an overdose of heroin. Staff rushed Kelly to the Mater Hospital hospital where he was placed on the critical list.
His life support machine was turned off on Sunday morning.
Gardai were called to the scene of the incident, in the prison's B Basement, immediately after Kelly was found. Officers found a quantity of heroin in the padded cell, and other drugs.
Sources told the Herald that Kelly may have been coerced into smuggling heroin into the jail internally when other convicts heard that he had been granted temporary release.
They are now examining whether a package or packages of the drugs may have ruptured internally, leading to his death.
UPSET
Finglas man Kelly reportedly appeared very upset and stressed when he arrived back at the prison last Friday night. His mental condition led staff at the jail to place him in a padded cell for his own protection.
One source said: "Kelly was in a bad way when he arrived back at the jail on Friday. He seemed very nervous and agitated. There are some reports inside the prison that he had been told to bring back a large amount of drugs. A quantity of heroin was found in the cell when gardai searched it."
Kelly never regained consciousness after lapsing into a coma following the overdose. The Herald understands that staff began routine checks on Kelly after he was placed in the padded cell, but he apparently took ill during one of the brief breaks in the process.
The B Basement area hit the headlines recently when five men held another inmate captive in a cell there, following a row over prisoner visiting arrangements.
The area was also the site of the death of prisoner Gary Douche, who was beaten to death by another inmate, Stephen Egan, in 2006.
clooney@herald.ie
- Cormac Looney
