A SEX offender who was found unconscious on the floor in prison died of heart failure, an inquest heard.

Richard Adrian West died six months after being jailed for historic sex offences.

The former RAF officer had been jailed for five and a half years last June after being found guilty of six counts of historic indecent assault.

West was found unconscious following a fall at HMP Winchester on December 8 last year. The 74-year-old died two days later at Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester.

An inquest at Winchester Coroner’s Court this week heard West was found unresponsive following a fall and was treated for low blood sugar and blood pressure, and a possible infection.

On examining West’s heart, pathologist Dr Basil Purdue found old scarring and said he had probably had a serious heart attack some years ago.

He concluded West, previously of Armstrong Rise, Andover, died of congestive heart failure, saying: “He could’ve died any time with a heart as bad as that.”

Senior coroner Grahame Short said: “It’s clear he wasn’t a well man and was, by that stage, in a wheelchair or in bed most of the time in prison. I conclude Richard West died due to natural causes.”