AN INMATE at Maidstone Prison whose girlfriend was terminally ill with cancer hanged himself with a torn strip of bed sheet from a window in his cell. Justin Walker's body was discovered in the segregation unit of the prison just before midnight on April 27, an inquest was told.

The jury at the inquest into Mr Walker's death heard how the 26-year-old had a history of self-harm and was under regular observation when he took his life. Mr Walker, who had been transferred to Maidstone Prison a month earlier, was moved from his normal cell to the segregation unit after an altercation with an officer.

He was last seen alive by officer Robin Watson who turned his light out just before 10pm. He returned to the cell an hour and a half later for a scheduled observation and found Mr Walker's body.

Earlier that night Mr Walker, originally from Wimbledon, had spent more than an hour talking to a trained listener about his girlfriend and his concerns about his segregation. It was the third time they had spoken since he had been segregated.

The listener, William Kendall, said: "He was worrying about his girlfriend and the state of her health. But he was starting to make some plans about what he would do when he got back on the wing. At that time he seemed fairly buoyant. When I left he said he was tired and wanted some sleep and I said I would see him in the morning."

The jury returned a majority verdict of suicide.