AN INMATE who died in his cell had suffered a "severe decline" in his mental health in the weeks before, a report has found.

James Turnbull, 30, who was an inmate at Durham Prison, was awaiting a bed in a secure hospital when he was found hanged in his cell on December 23, 2017.

Mr Turnbull was one of the prisoners filmed as part of a three-part documentary about the facility, which was shown on TV in 2018.

A recently published report by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman raised questions about whether reviews into his mental health should have been filmed by the documentary makers.

Elizabeth Moody, acting prisons and probation ombudsman, also raised concerns he was not being monitored using suicide and self-harm prevention procedures, known as ACCT, at the time of his death.

Mr Turnbull, who was remanded at Durham Prison in October 2017, had told staff he was hearing voices and thought people were planning to kill him.

Staff started ACCT procedures on December 8, and again on December 20 but stopped on December 21.

On the day of his death, staff shortages meant prisoners were not unlocked for association until early afternoon.

At about 1.55pm, he was found hanging.

Ms Moody said previous investigations at Durham had identified similar deficiencies in assessing prisoners' risk and managing ACCT procedures.

She added: "I am concerned that despite Mr Turnbull's continued paranoid behaviour, his pending transfer to psychiatric hospital and a recent stated intention to take his life, he was not being monitored under ACCT procedures when he died.

"Previous investigations at Durham have identified similar deficiencies in assessing prisoners' risk and managing ACCT procedures.

"The Prison Group Director needs to satisfy himself that staff at Durham are properly applying ACCT procedures to protect prisoners at risk of suicide and self-harm."

The report raised questions whether his ACCT reviews should have been filmed by a documentary crew, which was done with his consent, and whether it created a suitable environment.

Mr Turnbull had suffered a "severe decline" in his mental health in the weeks before he died, Ms Moody said.

On December 11, staff identified he needed treatment in a secure hospital.

He was accepted, but needed to wait until a bed was available.

At the time of his death, he was one place away from being given a bed in the unit.

Mr Turnbull is the 15th prisoner to have died at Durham since December 2014 and the sixth to take his own life.

Since his death, three more prisoners have killed themselves while two other deaths are awaiting classification.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: “Our thoughts and sympathies remain with Mr Turnbull’s family and friends.

"The prison is implementing the five recommendations the Ombudsman has made, has already updated its training and has recruited more staff so that there is more support for vulnerable prisoners.”