A MOVING letter from a teenager found dead in his cell has been read to a jury along with further details of the serious criminal allegations he was facing.

There were further emotional scenes at the inquest into the death of Darlington 18-year-old Charlie Todd who died at HMP Durham two years ago.

Earlier this week, the jury was told he was facing up to 16 years for an offence of wounding, but yesterday the coroner’s court at Redhills heard he was about to go on trial for GBH and affray.

He told his social worker he was being investigated for rape and also faced charges of vehicle taking and driving while disqualified.

His family has listened to the harrowing details of his death in the segregation unit on September 2, 2019, and yesterday forensic pathologist Nigel Cooper confirmed the cause of death was pressure on the neck caused by hanging.

Two weeks earlier the teenager, who had been in the care of Darlington Borough Council, penned a letter to his mother.

His mother and brother sobbed as the heartbreaking words were read out to the jury.

He said: “I just want you to know that I love you and care about you and I hope you feel the same.

“Well, I am on trial from the 27th to the 30th, just letting you know. I am hoping they don’t give me a big one.

“Well, I am just wondering why you haven’t wrote back to me. I’m in court next Tuesday. Hope for the best for me if you don’t mind. Well, I’m off. I’ll let you know what I get after the trial. Bye, love you Mam, from Charlie.”

Days after he wrote the letter, Toni Pennington, Todd’s social worker, met with him in prison.

He told her he was going on trial for GBH and affray at Teesside Crown Court on 27, but hoped to be sent to HMP Northumberland rather than Deerbolt Young Offenders Institution so he could cut ties with negative influences in his life.

She said he hoped to ‘keep his head down’ and progress to the open prison at Kirklington.

In her statement, Ms Pennington said: “Charlie also made reference to an investigation by Lancashire Police regarding an allegation of rape.

“Charlie advised he did not think it was going to be going anywhere. He advised he was not going to be a ‘nonce’ referring to a sex offender.”

The inquest continues.

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