A PRISONER serving a 60-week sentence in a County Durham jail died from cancer, an inquest heard.

Dennis Thompson was behind bars at HMP Durham when he died at the age of 62 earlier this year following a short battle with small cell lung cancer.

The inquest at Crook Civic Centre on Wednesday heard Mr Thompson was sentenced to custody on October 14 last year for attacking his girlfriend.

Coroner’s officer Charlotte Peacock said Mr Thompson, of Walker, Newcastle, complained of chest pains and in January this year an x-ray revealed he was suffering from terminal lung cancer.

He was put on a palliative care programme and on March 16 was moved to the inpatient care unit at the prison.

Mr Thompson’s health deteriorated and on March 26 he died.

The inquest heard he received the same standard of care he would have done in the community and Dr Leslie Hamilton, assistant coroner for County Durham and Darlington, praised the level of care by prison staff.

Dr Hamilton concluded the prisoner died of natural causes.

No family members attended the hearing.

Two members of prison staff including the head of safeguarding were present.