Coronavirus: First prison death 'could be earlier'

Brett Moore was an inmate at HMP Peterborough

A prisoner thought to have contracted coronavirus could have been the first inmate to die with the condition, an inquest heard.

It had been thought the first death in jail was on 22 March but Brett Moore, 48, died four days earlier at HMP Peterborough.

An inquest into his death heard his provisional cause of death included Covid-19, but more tests were needed.

A prison spokeswoman said they were following Covid-19 guidelines.

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Mr Moore died four days before convicted paedophile Edwin Hillier, who died at another Cambridgeshire prison, HMP Littlehey, after contracting the virus.

Mr Moore had been on remand at the jail for an alleged conspiracy to supply drugs, and his inquest was opened by senior coroner for Cambridgeshire David Heming on Thursday.

A provisional cause of death for Mr Moore also includes gastrointestinal haemorrhage and adult respiratory distress syndrome.

A HMP Peterborough spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that on March 18 a male prisoner at HMP Peterborough sadly died, and our thoughts continue to be with his family and friends.

"It would be inappropriate to comment any further at this stage of the proceedings.

"We are working fully to guidelines issued from Public Health England, HM Prison and Probation Service and Sodexo in relation to Covid-19."

In total, there have been 15 confirmed deaths of prisoners with coronavirus in England and Wales - including three at HMP Littlehey.

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