A thug who was jailed for “serious and sustained” domestic abuse was found hanged in his prison cell, an inquest was told.

Joseph Hause, formerly from Ashford, had been jailed for 10 weeks at HMP Chelmsford in Essex.

Emergency services were called to F-Wing of the prison, where the 38-year-old was reportedly found dead in his cell on Saturday, January 13.

Hause, of Old Southend Road, Southend, had admitted in September an assault which included spitting and strangling his victim in a domestic setting.

The attack was reported just two days after he was given a suspended sentence for domestic abuse directed at the same victim.

Previously, he had lived in South Ashford, where he was convicted of attacking a disabled partner by stamping on her head with his bare feet and punching her.

That case was heard at Maidstone Crown Court in 2006, where it was revealed that he had 11 previous convictions relating to violence, including another domestic abuse attack. He was jailed for 20 months for the incident.

Before his death he was set to deny a further attack upon his partner in Essex in December for which he was being remanded in custody. A full inquest into his death has been listed for tomorrow, while a jury date has been set for November this year.

It was reported that Senior Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray ordered a copy of the post-mortem examination and a full toxicology report.

A Prison Service spokesman said: “Joseph Hause died in custody on Saturday, January 13. As with all deaths in custody there will be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.”