HMP Highpoint: Spice death prisoner Shabol Ahmed was 'guinea pig'

Shabol Ahmed died in his cell at HMP Highpoint in 2016

A vulnerable prisoner died the day after he was given the psychoactive drug Spice by inmates who used him as a "guinea pig", an inquest has heard.

Shabol Ahmed, 33, collapsed after using the synthetic cannabis at HMP Highpoint in Suffolk in July 2016.

The opening of an inquest in Suffolk heard Ahmed, who had learning difficulties, had taken the drug in the exercise yard with other prisoners.

An inmate said some "thought it was funny just to watch people overdose".

Zia Islam said: "Some people were being used as guinea pigs."

'On the floor'

He said he believed that was what happened on 18 July 2016, because of "the amount of Spice that was used in that spliff".

"If someone was smoking it for pleasure there's no way they would have used as much and as powerful," he said.

"I saw people take two puffs and within 10 seconds they were on the floor."

Ahmed was taken to hospital after collapsing at 18:25 BST but returned that night. He was found dead in his cell the following day.

Islam, who spent seven months in the cell next door to Ahmed, said he did not believe Ahmed used Spice in his cell after he returned from hospital as he did not have a lighter.

He said Ahmed had been convicted of robbery and "just wanted to do his time".

Ahmed's sister Nazma Begum said her brother was "caring, loving, [and] would look after his younger sisters".

"I believe my brother was taken advantage of, picked on, used for the way he was, really, not being able to read or write," said Ms Begum.

The inquest continues.