OFFICIALS at Durham Jail defended their policy of scrapping segregation for sex offenders and other inmates.

Prison governors were speaking after an inquest into the death of a former sex offender found hanging by laces from his cell door at the prison.

Joseph Blacklock, 36, was confirmed dead in the A-wing cell after attempts by prison staff and paramedics proved unsuccessful, last September.

Mr Blacklock was serving a five month sentence for breaking into a garage, but was previously jailed for a rape conviction in 1986.

An inquest, in Durham, heard he had complained at being attacked by other inmates, and was unhappy at being transferred to that cell earlier on the day he was found hanging.

Mr Blacklock had given prison officials a list of names of inmates he claimed were intimidating him, including three from his home town of Workington, in Cumbria, who knew of his previous rape conviction.

He was on a self-harm watch, but on the day he died not all the prison officers on the wing were aware of this after he switched cells.

Richard Phelan, the governor responsible for prison activities, said on a previous 'stretch' in Durham Mr Blacklock was transferred to a hospital wing.

"Many prisoners seek to mislead their way into hospital because it's an easy option compared to life on a normal wing. We don't have a vulnerable prisoners' wing. It's primarily an anti-bullying policy."

North Durham coroner Andrew Tweddle, said "certain practices were revealed which show perhaps a problem in the prison system."

The jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure, which Mr Tweddle described as "perfectly sensible and reasonable in all the circumstances."

After the hearing, deputy governor Dave Thompson confirmed that the system notifying prison staff of inmates on 'self harm watch' has been improved. He said: "It's regrettable we have had this incident, and our condolences go to the family, but the level of care in this case was appropriate."