AN INQUEST jury has found that failures in a prison system contributed to an inmate's death.

Now Teesside Coroner Michael Sheffield is to write to the governor of Holme House Prison, in Stockton, spelling out his concerns and asking for assurances that system breakdowns surrounding the death of Andrew Cliff, 36, of West Auckland, County Durham, are never allowed to happen again.

Mr Cliff committed suicide in April 2002. A jury recorded a verdict that Mr Cliff "killed himself, contributed to by neglect".

The 12-day inquest heard that there was a breakdown in the jail's inmate data system, its record system and form keeping.

Mr Sheffield said: "I propose to write to the governor at Holme House Prison, drawing his attention to those defects which have been found by the jury to have existed.

"And I will make inquiries to ascertain if systems are in place, that system failures cannot occur again and, if such systems are not in place, to take appropriate action."

Lester Morrill, solicitors for Mr Cliff's widow, Dianne, said in a statement to The Northern Echo: "The tragic death of Andrew Cliff at the age of 36 at Holme House Prison raised for his family a number of deeply troubling issues.

"At the time of his incarceration between November 2001 and his death in April 2002, Andrew suffered both physical and mental problems.

"He and his family were entitled to expect that he would receive appropriate and adequate care. However, in several reports the care he received was inappropriate and inadequate.

"The jury in its verdict has confirmed, in line with the evidence which emerged over the two weeks of the inquest, that there were serious failings in the systems in place at the time of Andrew's death."

A spokeswoman for the Home Office said: "Holme House addressed the concerns raised by the death of Andrew Cliff when they received the investigation report into his death. The governor will be responding to the coroner once he has received the relevant correspondence.

"The prison is currently piloting a new safer custody system, Assessment, Care in Custody and Treatment, as an alternative to the current suicide and self harm forms."