Anthony Cawley, who was found hanged in his cell last April, committed suicide after hanging himself with his shoe laces, according to an inquest. The resumed inquest, before the Dublin County Coroner, Dr Ciaran Geraghty, and a jury, was due to hear evidence from his cell-mate, Anthony Dunne, yesterday, but Dunne withdrew his statement because of the presence of the media. He said he did not want the inquest turned into a "circus".
Last week the inquest heard evidence from prison staff who found Cawley hanging in his cell on April 14th.
The governor of Wheatfield prison, Mr John O'Sullivan, told the inquest then that he had visited Cawley in his cell at about 3.45, when he expressed concern over a radio advertisement for a newspaper article about him. No one noticed whether his shoe laces were missing at that stage, he said.
He was seen by a prison officer between then and at 6.02, when he was found hanging. He was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
Mr O'Sullivan said yesterday that Cawley had clearly intended to take his own life. Cawley's brother shouted: "You have murdered my brother," before leaving the courtroom. Dr Geraghty expressed his sympathy to the family.