A WINCHESTER prisoner who feared his probation would be compromised after he failed to produce a urine sample was found hanged in his cell, an inquest heard.

Alan Kennedy suffered night time bedwetting but was sanctioned after his latest failure to produce a sample for drugs testing.

The 28-year-old hanged himself at Winchester Prison on the morning of January 3, 2014, a jury ruled at Winchester Coroner’s Court on Tuesday. No connection was made between the hanging and his punishment two months earlier.

The inquest heard how Mr Kennedy was given an indeterminate sentence for assault in 2009, requiring a parole board to authorise his release.

He was transferred from Winchester to Ford Open Prison for good behaviour but was sent back in April 2013 after cannabis was found in his system.

He was punished in October after failing to produce a urine sample for a routine test.

Dr Simon Street, medical reviewer, said his bedwetting made it difficult for him to provide samples on request.

"I did advise him as a friend on the wing to take this up with the prison authority," prison listener Wayne Stephenson said in a statement read to the inquest. "He said that they don't listen and don't care."

Mr Kennedy was "excited" at the prospect of being released, Mr Stephenson added, but worried that the sanctions would affect his chances of parole.

Residential governor Adrian O'Donnell said: "He would have had some difficulties getting parole at that point because he had a number of failed MDTs [drug tests] which would have caused a judge some concern.

"[Prison healthcare staff] gave the adjudicating governor notice that he should have been able to provide a sample if asked."

Mr Stephenson described him as a "happy-go-lucky guy" and said they were "having a joke" the night before he died. Mr Kennedy had anxiety disorder but a string of assessments failed to find any other mental health issues.

Mr Kennedy was found dead on the morning of January 3 by staff who became alarmed when he did not respond to calls.

The jury returned a verdict of suicide.