A father-of-two found hanged in his cell was helping his unhappy cellmate overcome his problems, an inquest jury was told.

Gareth Tate, who shared a cell with Anthony Forrest at Armley Jail, Leeds, said he had no idea that he was planning to take his own life, Wakefield Coroner's Court heard.

Mr Forrest, 31, an unemployed tyre fitter and recovering drug addict, of Inkerman Street, Bradford, was awaiting trial for attempted murder.

When he was remanded into custody, Bradford Magistrates Court took the step of highlighting his vulnerable state by opening a '20-52 SH Form', a document used in the prison service to identify inmates who may be at risk from harming themselves, or attempting suicide.

Because of this, Mr Forrest spent his first night at Armley in a secure cell in the prison health centre, but the following day was seen by a prison doctor who pronounced him fit to go on to a normal wing.

The self-harm form was closed, meaning that he stopped being treated as a vulnerable prisoner, although a recommendation was made that he should share a cell.

Cellmate Gareth Tate told the jury and the Coroner David Hinchliffe how on March 23 last year he had left the cell for an hour's exercise while Mr Forrest had chosen to stay in, lying on the bed.

When he returned, a prison officer unlocked the cell where Mr Forrest's lifeless body was hanging from the bars of the cell window.

Mr Tate said the pair had got on well and Mr Forrest had been a sympathetic ear.

"It was a bad day for me on the Sunday and he had talked my problems through with me," he said.

"He was quiet although he didn't say what was wrong. He was all right, a good lad. You could tell him your problems and he would help you out."

Dr Brendan Carroll, of the prison health centre, said Mr Forrest had been seen by a doctor on March 6 and satisfied the doctor he was not at risk.

"If the patient does not articulate a problem, one cannot restrict a patient without due cause.

"The rights of patients take clear priority over the concerns of others. He was a consenting adult, not a juvenile."

The inquest continues.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.