An internet predator has died in prison less than a month into a five-year jail sentence.

An investigation has begun after Masuillah Hafesjee, 30, suffered a fatal collapse in his cell at Leeds Prison.

Hafesjee, of Norwood Avenue, Shipley, posed as a teenager to lure a 15-year-old girl to Bradford for sex.

A spokesman for the prison told the Telegraph & Argus: "Leeds prisoner Masuillah Hafesjee was found to have collapsed in his cell at 9am on Saturday following an alarm raised by another prisoner.

"Staff and paramedics attempted resuscitation but Mr Hafesjee was pronounced dead at 9.26am.

"Our sympathies are with Mr Hafesjee's family.

"As with all deaths in prison, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will conduct an investigation."

A spokesman for Leeds Coroner's Office said an inquest into Hafesjee's death was opened and adjourned yesterday.

Police were investigating, although the death was not apparently suspicious.

Hafesjee was jailed for five years at Bradford Crown Court on February 22.

His barrister, David McGonigal, told the court Hafesjee suffered from a rare congenital illness called maple syrup disease.

He said Hafesjee would have a difficult time in prison because of his illness and unusual appearance.

During a trial in January, the jury heard Hafesjee pretended to be 18 to befriend the girl on an internet chat site largely used by teenagers.

She ran away from her family in Hampshire to be with Hafesjee in Shipley and Bradford.

He had sex with her daily until police caught them together almost a week later.

Hafesjee was convicted of seven offences of sexual activity with a child under 16, one of meeting her after sexual grooming and two of possessing indecent images of her on his computer.

While Hafesjee was grooming the girl, he was on bail for sexually assaulting a middle-aged woman by twice grabbing her bottom in the street in Shipley.

The court heard that in 2002, he was accused of having sex with a girl of 15 when he was living in Bradford.

The teenager travelled to Yorkshire from Shropshire to stay with him. Although 25 at the time, he pretended to be 19.

The mother of the Hampshire girl told the Telegraph & Argus any death was always sad but she said her daughter, now 16, still suffered nightmares about what Hafesjee did to her.

"At least I can now tell her she will never see him again," she said.