A PRISONER from the North-East died after setting himself on fire in his cell.

John Raymond Cann, 51, who was awaiting sentence for criminal damage, died after a blaze in his room at Holme House Prison in Stockton at about 4.40pm on Wednesday.

He died in hospital on Thursday afternoon.

He had a history of drunk and disorderly behaviour and made several appearances before the town’s magistrates.

A Prison Service spokesman said: “John Cann was found unresponsive after a fire in his cell.

“Staff removed him from the cell and attempted resuscitation, and he was taken to an outside hospital by ambulance.

“As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will conduct an investigation.”

In April, Mr Cann, of Whitby Walk, Hartlepool, was due to attend Hartlepool Magistrates’ Court accused of possession of cannabis, but he could not enter the courtroom because he was too drunk.

In September 2009, he pleaded guilty at the same court for using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress, which was racially aggravated after racial insults at a Tesco security guard while intoxicated.

After pleading guilty, he was given a one-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £100 in compensation.

He was arrested for drunken behaviour twice in one day, and spat at a police officer, then told him he would buy him some washing powder the next time he saw him, while drunk and disorderly in 2005.