AN investigation has been launched after a convicted rapist from Shoebury died after being found unresponsive at prison.

The Chelmsford prisoner died after being admitted to hospital and was serving time for robbery and assault.

David Roy Morgan died at Broomfield hospital on August 30 after being admitted a week earlier.

The inquest into the death of the 35-year-old opened earlier this month but a provisional cause of death was given as “pending further investigation”.

Essex Area Coroner, Eleanor McGann, who oversaw proceedings explained the death of the prisoner was to be treated as a death in detention.

Morgan was convicted of robbery and assault by beating after being convicted earlier this year.

The 35-year-old had a long history of violent criminal behaviour.

In 2006, he was jailed for seven and a half years after raping a woman before telling her he may have HIV and hepatitis C.

He was also convicted of two offences he committed when he was just 15 - the rape and indecent assault of a seven-year-old girl and the indecent assault of another schoolgirl.

David Morgan is the latest in a long list of deaths at Chelmsford Prison.

Since 2016, eight prisoners, including Morgan have died.

This included the death of Basildon man Timothy Shaw, 34, who was found unconscious in his cell on Feburary 28 last year.

An inquest concluded his death was accidental but found it could have been prevented.

On Christmas Eve, 2016, father-of-two Craig Royce, from Rochford, was found in his cell at HMP Chelmsford.

The jury at an inquest into his death recorded a narrative conclusion and said Royce had died as a result of an accident but highlighted that the risk of self-harm had not been properly reviewed.

On Friday September 14, staff at Chelmsford prison took part in a national day of action to protest the number of violent assaults on prison officers.

The Echo reported prisoners claimed they were left with no access to food and were kept in their cells.

A full inquest into Mr Morgan’s death will be held before a jury and will take place in Chelmsford on March 25, 2019.

A spokeswoman from the Ministry of Justice said: “HMP Chelmsford prisoner David Morgan died in hospital on August 30 and our condolences are with Mr Morgan’s family and friends at this difficult time.

“As with all deaths in custody there will be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.”

The cause of death is not confirmed but it is not believed to be suspicious at this time.

The inquest will follows the investigation.