A MAN jailed last Monday for his part in a burglary, after the judge heard he was in receipt of disability benefit for being lactose intolerant, died this morning at Limerick Prison.
23-year-old Edward Woodland of Greenmount Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston and three accomplices were jailed for a total of 18.5 years with 4.5 years suspended at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court.
Edward Woodland received a sentence of five years with the final year suspended after the four men pleaded guilty to burglary at an isolated farmhouse at Ballyveskill, Tiermaclane, nine kilometres outside Ennis, on January 5, 2018.
The court heard the gang broke a lock, kicked in the farmhouse door and ransacked the property looking for cash. They fled after discovering that the sole occupant, James (Jimmy) O’Connor, (97), was asleep in his bed.
The gang were caught by Gardai as they made their getaway through fields.
Edward Woodland, was “found unresponsive in his cell” at Limerick Prison at around 6am this morning during a routine cell check.
Foul play is not suspected.
Gardaí and the Irish Prison Service (IPS) are conducting separate investigations, in line with normal procedures after a person dies in prison custody.
When asked to comment, a IPS spokeswoman replied: “The Irish Prison Service can confirm that there was a death of a person in the custody of the Irish Prison Service on January 12 and the next of kin have been notified.
“This death in custody will be investigated by the Irish Prison Service, The Inspector of Prisons and An Garda Síochána, where circumstances warrant.”
“The cause of death is determined by the Coroner’s Office,” the spokeswoman added.
In a statement, Gardaí said they attended the “discovery of a body of a man in his 20s that occurred at Limerick Prison at approximately 7am today
“The body has since been removed to University Hospital Limerick where a post-mortem will take place at a later date.
“The Coroner has been notified and the outcome of a post-mortem will determine the course on investigations,” the statement concluded.
Mr Woodland is the second inmate to die in Limerick Prison in recent weeks, following the death of Michael Knapp Ryan, of St Mary’s Park, on Christmas day.
