Man accused of murdering wife and children found dead in Portlaoise jail

A man who was due to stand trial next week for the murder of his wife and two children has been found dead in the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise.

The Irish Times reports that Sameer Syed (38), of Grosvenor Lodge, Rathmines, Dublin 6, was found in his cell in the Midlands Prison on Thursday afternoon.

While the cause of his death is unknown, it's reported that it was “a tragic incident”. The Irish Prison Service confirmed that there had been a 'death' but did not give details.

Mr Syed was due to stand trial for the murder of his wife Seema Banu (37), his daughter Asfira Riza (11) and son Faizan Syed (6) in October 2020.