A PRISONER found dead in his cell at a North-East jail was awaiting trial accused of trying to kill his girlfriend.

Terence Gaskell, 33, was found hanging from a ligature made from torn towelling attached to a bunk during a check at his locked cell at Durham Prison.

Staff cut him down and attempted resuscitation, but he was confirmed dead by a prison medical officer shortly before noon on Monday.

It was the third death of an inmate at prisons in the Durham area within five days, following similar, unconnected incidents at the jail's women's section and at nearby Frankland Prison last Wednesday.

Durham Police said yesterday that there appeared to be no suspicious circumstances and a post mortem examination was carried out on Mr Gaskell yesterday.

A Prison Service inquiry was also under way yesterday, while the North Durham coroner was informed of the death.

The bachelor, who lived with his mother in the Wigan area of Greater Manchester, was on remand from Newcastle Crown Court accused of attempted murder.

He is alleged to have tried to kill his girlfriend by smothering and strangling her at her home in Low Fell, Gateshead, in June.

Mr Gaskell denied the offence at a crown court hearing last month and was remanded in custody pending a scheduled three-day trial in December.

He was brought back before the court again last week, however, on further allegations of attempting to pervert the course of justice in letters to his ex-girlfriend and her brother.

An interim hearing was to be staged on November 25 prior to the trial, due to start on December 17.

Mr Gaskell was from the Ince area of Wigan, where neighbours said yesterday that they had understood he was in hospital recovering from long-term injuries.

Beverly Fowler, a 32-year-old Jamaican, was found hanged in her cell at Durham Prison Women's Centre during a routine check by staff at about 6pm last Wednesday.

Ms Fowler, serving a sentence for drug importation, was subsequently confirmed dead at the city's University Hospital of North Durham.

Several hours later 31-year-old Paul Stewart Day, from Essex, was found hanged in his cell at Frankland Prison, on the outskirts of Durham.

Mr Day, serving seven-and-a-half years for attempted robbery, was certified dead by a local doctor called to the prison.

Both inmates were found hanging from ligatures made from torn bedding.

Police stressed there was no connection between the incidents and neither death was considered suspicious.