A 20-YEAR-OLD man sentenced to six months imprisonment at Redbridge Magistrates' Court was found hanged in his cell over the weekend.

Marcus Downie, from Ilford, pleaded guilty to reckless driving at the Barkingside court on April 10 and was sentenced on May 1.

In the early hours of Saturday, two weeks into his prison term, officers found Downie hanged in his cell at Chelmsford prison during routine checks.

A doctor declared him dead at 6.30am after a medical team tried in vain to revive him.

Officers from Essex Police were called in to investigate and have since declared there are no suspicious circumstances and have passed the matter to Chelmsford coroner's office.

A police spokeswoman said: "We are satisfied that no further police action is needed."

Downie was not designated a vulnerable prisoner and the prison service confirmed that he was not on suicide watch. He was alone in his cell when the incident happened.

The Home Office will now be launching its own inquiry into Downie's death.

13:38 Friday 17th May 2002

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