A MOTHER has told how she begged her rapist murderer son to see a doctor on the day of his death in prison.

Andrew Michael Pountley, 30, died of a heart attack at high-security Frankland Prison, in Durham City.

An inquest at Chester-le-Street Coroner's Court, in County Durham, yesterday recorded a verdict of death from natural causes.

Pountley, of Oldham, Greater Manchester, was convicted of the rape and murder of five-year-old Roseline McCann, at Manchester Crown Court in February 1997.

His mother, Dorothy Pountley, told the inquest her son had never complained of chest pains until the day he died -April 28, last year.

She said: "I begged him to see somebody about it.

"That morning, Andrew said 'I want them to send me to hospital about these pains, I feel really ill'. But he had never complained before.

"I would just like to thank everybody in the prison who tried to help him, trying to resuscitate and help Andrew."

Prison warden Thomas Crute told the coroner that Pountley had complained about chest and arm pains, but said he did not want to go to the prison medical wing.

When he saw nurse Norman Pearson, it was decided he was suffering indigestion or a muscle strain.

The inquest heard that Pountley later told prison staff he was feeling better.

He even worked serving food to other prisoners. After that, Pountley locked himself in his cell, and it was only when fellow prisoner David Lilley looked in and saw Pountley on the floor in blankets that the alarm was raised, shortly after 7pm.

All efforts by prison and medical staff to resuscitate him failed.

Dr Thomas Docherty, who supervises healthcare at the prison, said nurse Pearson may have relied too heavily on his reading of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) results and that new guidelines were being drawn up.

He said: "In the light of Mr Pearson's understanding of the history of Mr Pountley and his findings at the time, I think Mr Pearson's diagnosis was understandable and appropriate, but personally I think it was misjudged."

Pathologist Dr Nigel Cooper said one of Pountley's heart arteries had become almost completely blocked.

Coroner Andrew Tweddle told the jury the only possible verdict was death from natural causes.