A PRISON officer who suffered mental health problems was found hanged at his home shortly after the break-up of his marriage.

Police were alerted after John Logie's estranged wife, Janet, became concerned when none of the family was able to make contact with him for several hours on Sunday, March 17, an inquest was told.

Officers eventually gained access to the house, in Harley Terrace, Sherburn Village, near Durham, but only after calling Mrs Logie to remove his two German shepherd dogs.

The officers found Mr Logie hanged from a noose made from a metal dog chain attached to the staircase.

Pathologist Dr John Zuk confirmed that the 33-year-old died from asphyxia due to hanging.

Mrs Logie told the hearing that after more than four years' marriage her husband left their home, in Carrville, near Dur-ham, by mutual agreement in February. He had suffered depression and "mood swings".

Mrs Logie said her husband, who worked at Frankland Prison, on the outskirts of Durham, sought treatment from a psychiatrist as an out-patient at the city's County Hospital.

The inquest, in Durham, was told Mr Logie sent a family friend a text message on the weekend of his death saying: "Goodbye, I've had enough".

Recording a verdict of suicide, deputy North Durham coroner Brenda Davidson said: "He was clearly someone who was troubled and had a history of mental illness.

"Although he had not tried to harm himself before, he had clearly tried to do so here."