Man on suicide watch in prision found hanged Coroners court hears

There will be no prosecution arising from an incident in which a man accused of murder hanged himself in his cell shortly after a court appearance.

Shane Rogers (32) from Deery Terrace, Inniskeen, Co Monaghan, had been charged with the murder of Armagh GAA footballer James Hughes when he took his own life in his cell shortly after appearing before Cloverhill District Court on December 20th, 2011.

At Dublin Coroner's Court, Inspector Frank Kennefick said that the Garda investigation into Mr Rogers's death had been completed and a file submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The response received by gardaí indicated that the DPP believed that there was no offence disclosed in the file and as a result no prosecutions will follow, he said. The inspector of prisons has also completed an investigation into the incident, he added, leaving the way clear to set a date for the inquest.

Mr Rogers was in prison on remand and on suicide watch for just more than a week when the incident happened. He faced charges in relation to the fatal shooting of Mr Hughes at Carrickmacross Road, Dundalk, nine days earlier as he travelled in a taxi with Mr Rogers’s former girlfriend. She was also injured in the incident. Mr Rogers presented himself at Carrickmacross Garda station after the murder.

Coroner Dr Brian Farrell set a date for a full hearing into the death on September 18th.