A TEENAGER with mental health problems, who was awaiting trial, was found hanged at Chelmsford Prison.

Vinnith Kannathasan, originally from Sri Lanka, was found dead in his cell at the prison in February 2008, an inquest heard.

The 18-year-old had been charged with a sexual offence. He had arrived at the prison in early December 2007.

The inquest jury at County Hall, in Chelmsford, heard on the first day of the hearing, on Monday, that Mr Kannathasan, from Manor Park, in East London, had suffered from mental health problems from a young age.

Although he was born in Sri Lanka, he had moved to England with his mother when he was a child.

Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray said he was described as “a looked after child” and had been in the care of the local authority in London.

He had experienced problems which had brought him into contact with the child and adolescent services.

He had also been sectioned under the Mental Health Act. He arrived at the prison on December 3. The inquest heard he had encountered problems with other prisoners and was closely monitored on an incentives and earned privileges programme.

He was found hanged in his cell at just after 5am on the morning of February 12.

Det Seg Gary McNair told the inquest he attended the prison after Mr Kannathasan’s death.

He said: “He had been given a risk assessment by the prison service and, because of the indication of mental health issues, he had been given a single cell.

“When I arrived he had been cut down. We carried out a search of the cell. There was no note or indication he intended to take his own life.

“The view of Essex Police was that no third party was involved.”

Prison nurse Annie McLaughlin said she was on duty in the reception when the prisoner arrived.

She said Mr Kannathasan told her he suffered from biopolar disorder, a manic depressive illness.

She added: “I did refer him to see a doctor as he needed to be assessed to see if he needed medication or a change in medication.

“You cannot take what a prisoner says at face value, it has to be checked out.”

Kathy Goodchild, a registered mental health nurse at the prison, said they had received no information from police when he was brought to the jail that there was any self harm issues.

Mr Kannathasan had refused to see a psychiatrist on three occasions after appointments were made for him.

On January 5, 2008, a mental health nurse saw him and he was “co-operative”.

“If there was any bad behaviour, the medical team did not know of this,” Ms Goodchild told the inquest.

“There was no history of self harm or attempted suicide available to us.

“If that had been the case, we would have opened up an act document without doubt and he would have been monitored.”

No members of Mr Kannathasan’s family are attending the inquest, which continues.