AN INQUIRY is being held after an at-risk robber jailed for stealing a pensioner’s handbag died in prison.

Sheldon Woodford was found unresponsive in his cell at Winchester Prison on March 9 last year and died in hospital three days later.

An inquest into his death will be held on Monday.

It is one of several which are set to take place following a spate of deaths at the prison last year.

As reported, Mr Woodford, 24, was sentenced to four and half-and-a-half years just a month before his death for stealing a 90-year-old’s handbag in Bournemouth.

He was known to be a vulnerable prisoner and suffered with mental health issues while staff at the prison were aware he was “at risk”.

After his death Mr Woodford’s mum Sharron Lewis, who contacted police after recognising him in CCTV footage, spoke of her turmoil after he was found dead in jail.

She said: “I do feel responsible and I feel that I failed him.

"I have asked myself and people around me: ‘Did I do the right thing?’ “Everyone has said ‘yes’ but it doesn't make me feel any better.

"I know I did the right thing for my son and for the old lady. I did it because he could have seriously hurt someone next time.

"He was in the right place to get help and he obviously didn't get it."

She said he had made two attempts to kill himself in prison in the weeks before his death and should have been treated for mental health issues.

The inquest comes days after figures from the Ministry of Justice revealed the prison had the highest regional figure for deaths in custody in 2015.

There were seven deaths with four suicides at the Romsey Road jail, according to the campaigning charity Howard League for Penal Reform.

Several of the Winchester deaths have still to have inquests that have not yet been heard.

These include Emamy-Foroushani, Daryl Hargrave, Jason Payne and Fathers 4 Justice campaigner Haydn Burton.

The Daily Echo has previously reported how former chaplain Rev Graham Topping spoke of alleged bullying, secrecy and rock-bottom morale at the jail.

It was also reported how the problem legal highs were “out of control” at the Romsey Road jail.

The inquest which will start at Winchester Coroner’s Court will finish officially on February 26.