AN inmate was found dead in the segregation unit of a North-East high security prison, an inquest heard yesterday.

The death of Paul Day, who had told fellow prisoners and staff that he was an informer, has already been the subject of three separate investigations.

The inquest, at Chester-le-Street Magistrates' Court, is expected to last up to a month.

Day, 31, of Basildon, Essex, had been serving a seven-and- half-year sentence for a string of armed robberies.

The hold-ups, which netted £4,500 in eight days across the North of England, were featured on Crimewatch UK.

He was later arrested after two failed robbery attempts in the Southend area of Essex.

Day was found hanged in Frankland Prison, near Durham, in October 2002, after being transferred between several prisons.

Opening the inquest, Coroner Andrew Tweddle told jury members they would hear evidence that Day was a vulnerable prisoner, who had been on suicide watch.

Described as a "very difficult prisoner with a complex personality", Day had been involved in a series of so-called "dirty protests".

Pathologist Dr James Sunter said his death had been the result of hanging, with no other injuries to suggest he had been assaulted or restrained.

The inquest heard from staff at other prisons where he had been detained.

David Richards, a governor at Cardiff Prison, described him as "a Jekyll and Hyde character". He had threatened staff and was placed in the segregation unit on the basis of his violent history, but his behaviour got worse.

Mr Richards said: "His main complaint was that he had not done anything to be placed on segregation unit. I couldn't disagree with him, but it was not my decision."

He was moved to Wandsworth Prison 13 days later.

Mr Richards said Day had told staff and other prisoners he was a police informer, but a lot of people thought he was a Walter Mitty character.

Frankland Prison governor Philip Coppell said prison inspectorate head Peter Atkinson had commissioned a second report into Day's death, because he was not satisfied with the initial inquiry.

An investigation was carried out into the management of Day within the Prison Service in the months before his death.

The inquest continues today.