Man arrested after Cloverhill prisoner dies following early morning altercation

A man in his 30s has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of a prisoner in Cloverhill Prison this morning.

The Dublin man, aged in his 40s, died in “violent circumstances”, according to sources.

Gardaí based in Ronanstown, are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death which occurred at about 5.30am.

Prison authorities alerted emergency services and gardaí about the altercation.

The man received emergency treatment but was pronounced dead a short-time later. A second man, understood to be from Laois, was also injured but his injuries are not life threatening.

Sources close to the investigation confirmed the man “was being held on remand” at the prison in connection with alleged “drugs and firearms offences” after being arrested earlier this year. A third man was also in the cell but was not injured.

In a statement garda headquarters said they “arrested a male (aged in his 30s) on suspicion of murder.

“He is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a Garda station in West Dublin.”

Gardaí said that the scene has been “preserved” by officers and prison authorities pending a “full forensic and technical examination”.

The coroner’s office has been notified while the services of the State Pathologist and Garda Technical Bureau have been requested.

A Garda Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) has been appointed to lead the investigation and a Family Liaison Officer (FLO) has been assigned to the family of the deceased.

The investigation is ongoing and in a statement garda headquarters said that “further updates will follow”.

The Office of the Inspector of Prison is a statutory body, independent in how it carries out its work.

Investigations by gardaí are ongoing.