A PRISONER found hanged in his cell had written notes to his former girlfriend and mother, a court has heard.

The jury at the ongoing inquest into the death of Wayne Roe, 29, of Hartington Place, Southend, who was found dead at 5.10am in HMP Chelmsford, on March 23, 2014, heard evidence from the investigating police officer at Chelmsford Coroners’ Court yesterday.

Det Insp Jim White, concluded in his report Roe had shown no signs of wanting to kill himself.

When searching the cell after Roe’s death Det Insp White and his team found a letter in a sealed envelope addressed to Becky Motton, whom he had just split from, and who he described as his next of kin.

The second note, unsealed and on prison notepaper, simply read: “I am sorry mum, I was not the son you wanted.”

The officer concurred with evidence presented by mental health nurse at the prison, Olubenga Adebayo, that Roe had not displayed suicidal tendencies.

He said: “From the investigation carried out at the prison I certainly did not find any signs he wanted to kill himself.

“I do not think there were any indications to prison staff he was going to commit suicide.

“He had been asking questions about the following day, he was planning for the next day.”

Roe was found by prison officers hanging from the light fitting in his cell just two days after entering the prison on a year’s sentence for assault.

Area coroner Eleanor McGann will sum up the evidence this morning before sending the jury out to deliberate.