A 26-year-old man was found hanging yesterday in a cell in Dungarvan Garda station in Co Waterford, shortly after he had been arrested.
Efforts to resuscitate him failed and he was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was taken to Waterford Regional Hospital where a post mortem is to be carried out today.
The man, who was from the Dungarvan area, had been arrested at about 12.45 p.m. under Section 17 of the Domestic Violence Act of 1996. He was due to appear in court that afternoon, but when gardai checked on him at about 3 p.m. he was found hanging and unconscious.
The man, who has not been named, was single but is understood to have had a number of children with his long-term partner. Members of the Garda technical bureau are due to examine the scene today. Supt Michael Blake of Dungarvan described the incident as a tragedy and expressed sympathy with the man's family.