Family of Cork man who died in prison to feature in documentary on mental health 

The grieving family of a Cork man who died in prison will feature in a new documentary examining how Irish jails are being used for people with mental illness — often with devastating, and sometimes deadly, consequences.

Andrew Gearns, aged 29, a loving father, a former engineer, and a talented soccer player who once trialed for Liverpool, made a fatal attempt on his life in Cork Prison in September 2020, and later died in hospital.

An independent review of all medical care in Cork Prison was recommended by a jury at the inquest into his death.

But, years after his death, Mr Gearns’ family is still pushing for answers.

Mr Gearns was vulnerable when he was jailed in Cork Prison. He was suffering distressing delusions about being stabbed, and had six risk factors for suicide.

However, he was seen by prison medical staff for less than five minutes on the day of his fatal attempt on his own life.

Calling

The former engineer from Model Farm Rd in Cork was heard calling for his mother and father in the hours before his death.

His case is part of a special two-part RTÉ Investigates series, to be broadcast tonight and tomorrow night at 9.35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.

RTÉ Investigates - The Psychiatric Care Scandal in Ireland will examine Ireland’s mental health system and uncover how the criminalisation of mental illness leaves families and individuals impacted and abandoned by the State. Twenty years ago, the State unveiled big plans for psychiatric care in Ireland. Many old wards were shut, with a plan to open specialist services instead.

“Which should have meant opening up lots of facilities, healthcare facilities,” a quote from the documentary says.

“It could have been assisted living, nurses, care. It didn’t happen.”

However, without acute beds, people with mental illness are being sent to prison.

Investigate

To investigate the true extent of this, Cork-based reporter Conor Ryan and producer Frank Shouldice travelled to court hearings and inquests across the country.

They spoke to the families of inmates and those working at the coalface, and pored over hundreds of first-hand accounts, investigation reports, and postmortems.

They also visited the prison landings that are struggling to cope.

In the first programme tonight at 9.35pm, RTÉ Investigates lays bare how the criminalisation of mental illness continues to affect individuals and their families.

Key to the promised reform was the establishment of a brand new Central Mental Hospital in Portrane in north Dublin.

In Tuesday night’s programme, RTÉ Investigates questions whether this service has delivered the change that was promised in the face of growing waiting lists, as well as the ongoing concerns about the community services people are being discharged to.