A REMAND prisoner who admitted strangling his girlfriend to death, took his own life by tying a television wire around his neck.

Andrew Maguire, 34, of Hexham, Northumberland, was found dead in his cell at Durham Prison by warden David Pilkington.

He had wrapped a wire around his neck as well as the top bunk of the cell beds before lying face down on the bottom bunk.

Pathologist Nigel Cooper told a jury inquest in Chester-le-Street that the cause of death was pressure on the neck, caused by hanging. There were no marks on the body to suggest he had been attacked.

Bank worker Vicky Reay, 19, was found dead in her home in Hexham on October 17, 2004. She had been strangled with bedsheets and Maguire told police he killed her.

He died on October 21, 2004, only two days after he had been sent to Durham Prison, while his cell mate Geoffrey Gage was meeting visitors.

Mr Gage yesterday told the inquest that Maguire gave no indication he was likely to take his life and did not seem particularly upset about what he had done.

The inquest heard Maguire refused medication for heroin withdrawal despite having mild symptoms.

He also refused the offer of a personal identification number to use a payphone.

Coroner's officer PC Neville Dixon told the hearing that police had investigated the death thoroughly and found no suspicious circumstances and no evidence of third party involvement.

The jury of seven men and one woman agreed unanimously he intended to take his life.

They said staff of Durham Prison did not have any grounds to suppose that Maguire was at risk of harming himself.

The jury also said they acted appropriately by not admitting him to the healthcare centre following his first reception.

North Durham coroner Andrew Tweddle recorded the verdict that Maguire took his own life.