1st May 2014
The Report of the Commission of Investigation into the Death of Gary Douch was published today (1st May 2014) exactly 7 years and 9 months after the young man’s brutal death in Mountjoy Prison on 1st August 2006.
Gary Douch, a young man from Dublin, tragically lost his life in the early hours of 1st August 2006 following a fatal assault which took place in Mountjoy Prison.
On 31st July 2006 Mr Douch, then a serving prisoner in Mountjoy Prison, had expressed concerns for his personal safety to a prison officer. As a result of this he was moved from a multiple-occupancy cell on “C” Wing of Mountjoy to a holding cell in the “B Base”, an area of the prison which was used to house prisoners requiring protection from other prisoners.
During the night, Mr Douch was the victim of a brutal assault by Stephen Egan, one of the other prisoners in the holding cell. His unconscious body was discovered by prison officers when they unlocked the cell at approximately 6.50 a.m. the following morning. Medical staff at the prison and at the nearby Mater Hospital were unable to revive him. Stephen Egan was subsequently arrested and charged with the murder of Gary Douch.
Following a trial which took place in April 2009, Stephen Egan was convicted of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility and on 29th June 2009 he received a sentence of life imprisonment. An appeal against sentence was rejected by the Court of Criminal Appeal on 29th November 2010.
At the request of the Government an independent inquiry was carried out initially by Mr Michael Mellett (a former Senior Civil Servant) into the circumstances surrounding the death of Gary Douch. Arising from Mr Mellett's report, it was decided that a Commission of Investigation should be established to carry out further inquiries and make recommendations where appropriate. This was done by Order of the Government on 2nd May 2007. Gráinne McMorrow SC was appointed as Sole Member of the Commission on 8th June 2007.
The Report of the Commission of Investigation into the Death of Gary Douch can be read in full here.
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.