Dublin Man's Death by Misadventure: Jury Calls for Garda Restraint Training

A Dublin inquest jury has called for changes to how Irish police handle individuals in states of extreme agitation, following the death of a 35-year-old father who became unresponsive after being held in a prone position for 16 minutes. The jury recommended that An Garda Síochána implement scenario-based training specifically addressing the intersection of cocaine intoxication, physical exertion, and restraint.

The verdict of death by misadventure marks the end of a legal inquiry into the passing of Ronan Lawless, an electrician from Balbriggan.

The 16-minute restraint at Tara Court

The incident began in the early hours of November 16, 2022, when Phyliss Lawless called the gardaí because her son was behaving erratically. She described Ronan as paranoid, believing someone was outside the house, and noted he was gasping for air with a heaving chest before he eventually ran from the property.

CCTV footage from a doorbell camera captured the scene as it escalated. Mr. Lawless jumped over a wall into a neighbor’s garden and threw a garden bench toward officers. At 4:08 a.m., gardaí brought him to the ground in a prone position. For the next six minutes, Mr. Lawless continued to resist and shout while officers attempted to handcuff him.

The recordings captured a progression. Mr. Lawless is heard telling officers they were hurting him and asking them to stop. At one point, he explicitly cried out, I can’t breathe. Help me. By 4:24 a.m., the shouting stopped abruptly. Mr. Lawless went silent and became unresponsive, though it took another two minutes before officers raised him out of the prone position.

He died a week later, on November 23, 2022, at Beaumont Hospital.

Cocaine and restraint caused fatal brain injury

The cause of death was a brain injury resulting from oxygen deprivation. Pathologist Sally Anne Collis testified that a cardiac arrest was precipitated by a combination of factors: a state of agitation, intense physical exertion, and the prone restraint, all compounded by cocaine intoxication.

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Dr. Collis explained that cocaine is known to cause irregular heart rhythms, and the physiological strain of the encounter placed a burden on Mr. Lawless’s heart and brain.

Counsel for the Lawless family, Andrew Walker SC, stated during the inquest that the deceased was ticking every box for positional asphyxia.

Training gaps in the Garda ranks

The testimony from the officers involved revealed a disparity in training and awareness. Garda Peter Gallagher told Coroner Myra Cullinane that while he was aware of positional asphyxia, he had received no specific training on how to place handcuffs on a resisting subject. He admitted he suspected Mr. Lawless might be deteriorating before he lost consciousness, but noted that the man had continued shouting throughout much of the interaction.

Other officers were less informed. Garda Aoife Treanor admitted she had no training on how drugs impact human behavior during restraint, nor did she know when to remove handcuffs. She further admitted she was entirely unaware of what positional asphyxia was at the time of the incident.

These admissions stand in contrast to the observations of other witnesses. An off-duty firefighter, Seán O’Hare, and a paramedic, Paul Lundy, both testified that they were impressed with the gardaí’s handling of the situation and had no concerns at the time.

The push for systemic reform

The jury said the incident should be used as a case study for training at the Garda College in Templemore.

Coroner Myra Cullinane concluded the proceedings by expressing hope that the findings would inform future practices of An Garda Síochána, noting that while the verdict cannot bring Ronan Lawless back, it can change how the state handles people in crisis.