Murderer found hanged in prison

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/bristol/5403646.stm

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A murderer who absconded from an open prison before being recaptured has been found hanging in his cell in Bristol.

Lee Dewhurst, 35, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, was discovered by prison officers at HMP Bristol on Sunday afternoon.

Staff attempted to resuscitate him before he was taken to Southmead Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A nationwide hunt was conducted for Dewhurst after he failed to return to Prescoed jail, Monmouthshire in July.

He was eventually arrested in Jersey in September and brought back to Wales by officers from Gwent Police.

A Prison Service spokesman said: "We can confirm the death in custody of Lee Dewhurst. Mr Dewhurst was found hanging in his cell at HMP Bristol on October 1, 2006.

"Staff attempted to resuscitate Mr Dewhurst and he was taken to Southmead hospital in Bristol where he was pronounced dead at 3.11pm.

"The prisons and probation ombudsman will investigate the death as with all deaths in custody."

He was convicted of murder and jailed for life at Liverpool Crown Court in 1992.