AN INMATE with chest injuries died in his cell after suffering major internal bleeding, an inquest heard.

Maurice John Skinner, 52, collapsed after a coughing spell while serving at Portland's Weare prison ship last July.

The inmate, who was transferred to the prison ship from Lewes jail last November, was hospitalised with a fractured rib around a month before he died.

A jury was told Skinner returned to prison but collapsed in his cell late at night having aggravated the injury, which also damaged his lung.

Coroner Michael Johnston heard it was not known what caused Skinner to suffer the injuries in which he lost 2.5 litres of blood.

Pathologist Allan Anscombe told the jury the aggravation which led to the prisoner's death may have been caused by a punch, kick, stretching or coughing.

"This is unique to me in more than 25 years as a pathologist," he said. "What is clear is that something overwhelming happened to him.

"He collapsed because something quite catastrophic occurred internally, after which he stopped breathing relatively shortly afterwards."

Henrietta Hill, for Skinner's family, questioned whether the victim may have survived had medical treatment been available quicker.

But Mr Anscombe said the prisoner would have lost consciousness moments after collapsing.

Skinner's cellmate Ramon Longbottom told the inquest he was not aware of Skinner suffering any violence inside the Weare.

He described the prisoner, who complained of chronic back pain before his death, as 'popular'.

Longbottom told the jury he requested help after fully-clothed Skinner collapsed in the cell shower at around 3.20am on July 10 last year.

Senior prison officer Timothy James Mileham said he and colleagues called for a nurse to attend the prison and ordered that an ambulance be put on standby.

He said: "I asked Mr Skinner's cellmate what had happened and he said he heard a thump after a coughing spell."

Mr Mileham told the jury he and his fellow night-duty staff did not have up-to-date first aid training at the time of the incident.

He said prison protocol at the time was to call out either an on-call doctor or nurse before requesting an ambulance.

"Had the situation happened again I'd have gone straight for the ambulance," he said.

Paramedics arrived at the prison ship around 50 minutes after the prisoner collapsed, the jury heard.

Nurse Alison Mary House said she had treated Skinner for chronic back and neck pain on a number of previous occasions.

She added the victim was suffering from 'extensive' bruising down the side of his body a couple of weeks before his death.

The inquest is continuing.