A WINCHESTER prison inmate who died had long-term heart disease, an inquest heard.

Lee Packman was found in his cell at HMP Winchester on July 22 last year, the coroner’s court heard.

The 41-year-old, who was at the Hearn unit for lower-risk inmates, had been at the prison since April 2015.

Mr Packman had complained to an agency worker of chest pains the day before his death, the court heard.

He had slightly raised blood pressure in January 2016 at a screening, but no follow-up appointment was arranged as he was otherwise fit and well.

The court heard from prison officer Neil Kinnock that two officers were supposed to complete a role check at 7.30am on the morning of Mr Packman’s death, but that as Mr Kinnock was the only officer present, the checks did not take place.

Mr Packman was therefore not found until later in the morning at around 10.30am.

Colin Martin, head of safety at the prison, said following the incident the prison’s systems had been reviewed, and that two officers now complete checks at two units at 7.30am.

Andrew Witney-Martin, the prison officer who found Mr Packman, said: “ He was a nice prisoner. He would say good morning to you, he was always open with you.”

He confirmed to the coroner that the reason he did not notice Mr Packman’s absence that morning was because of the busy process of prisoners moving to their jobs.

Paul Cultis, inmate at the prison and the last person to see Mr Packman alive, said: “He was really excited about his new job at the prison as he would be saving money for his daughter.”

Pathologist Dr Basil Purdue said Mr Packman had evidence of heart disease, and that his heart had been, “starved of blood over a long period of time.”

He gave a cause of death as narrowing of the coronary arteries due to atheroma - fatty material that forms deposits in the blood vessels.

Central Hampshire coroner Grahame Short said that although inmates should have been checked at 7.30am, he did not believe Mr Packman was alive at that time.He added that he was satisfied that no medical staff were aware of Mr Packman’s chest pain.“I rather think that Lee, like a lot of men, was reluctant to make a fuss,” he said. He recorded a death of natural causes.