Hanged Shropshire teenager was a 'likeable young lad'

Nicholas Saunders, 18, of Shrewsbury, was serving a sentence at HMP & YOI Stoke Heath, near Market Drayton, when he died on April 2 last year.

He had served three months of his 14-month sentence at HMP Woodhill, near Milton Keynes, before being transferred to Stoke Heath in February 2011.

At the second day of his inquest in Wem yesterday prison officers from HMP Woodhill said they were 'shocked' to hear of the teenager's death.

Prison officer Adrian Longmuir said Mr Saunders often chatted to staff. He said: "Nicholas was always easy to talk to and you could explain things to him. He got angry every now and then but I felt he quickly adapted to prison life.

"There wasn't anybody that didn't get on with him, he was a likeable young lad."

Jurors heard Mr Longmuir comforted Mr Saunders one day when the inmate had received a letter from his ex who had given birth to her son, whom he was planning to bring up as his own. He said Mr Saunders had punched a concrete wall and had to be restrained so he did not injure himself further.

The inquest heard Mr Saunders had been considered at risk in two reports by staff at HMP Woodhill, meaning he was at risk of self-harm or suicide.

In one incident he had used a 'ligature' and the second was when he punched the wall.

Mr Longmuir said it was 'not something I expected of him' when he heard of Nicholas' death. Prison officer John Davis agreed Mr Saunders was a 'nice lad'.

Mr Saunders had been convicted of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. When he pleaded guilty he claimed he was part of a 'heavy gang' when he lived in Shrewsbury and always carried protection.

Chaplain at HMP Woodhill, Alan Hodgetts, said although Mr Saunders had been removed from chapel for a fight in 2011, he was 'impressed by his behaviour' when he came to apologise. The inquest continues, and is set to last two weeks.