THE death of a drug addict at Bullingdon Prison could have been avoided had staff carried out proper checks and assessments, an inquest has heard.

Oxfordshire Coroner's Court heard yesterday how a series of breaches in Government regulations took place in the hours leading up to the death of Stephen Woods on August 28, 2004, at the prison, near Bicester.

Mr Woods, 23, originally from The Grove, Abingdon, was found hanging from a light in his cell after using part of a bed sheet as a ligature.

Before the inquest, Mr Woods' mother, Sue, said she wanted justice for her son. Giving evidence she said: "I know it might seem ironic now, but I thought that being in prison, at least, he would be safe - that they could control his habit - but obviously I was wrong."

Giving evidence, nurse Liv Taylor said she interviewed Mr Woods when he was first admitted to the prison on August 13 - awaiting sentencing for burglary offences - and filled out a Continual Medical Assessment form.

However, when questioned by barrister Adam Straw, acting on behalf of the family, she said she had not assessed "the possible risk of suicide or self harm" through a series of questions set out in a Health Care Reception Screening assessment.

Mr Straw asked: "You did not ask him any of the specific questions on the form? 'Have you deliberately harmed yourself? Have you had suicidal thoughts?'"

Ms Taylor replied: "No. If he had told me that he was having suicidal thoughts I would have gone on to fill in a screening form."

Mr Woods was moved to a cell in the Separation, Segregation and Challenge Unit (SSCU) after refusing to return to his cell in B-Wing on the night of Friday, August 28.

Mr Straw said Government regulations state that a special assessment to determine whether or not it is safe to place a prisoner in an SSCU cell must be carried out within two hours of the prisoner arriving at the unit.

He said no documentation to show the assessment had been carried out was found, although, in their evidence, prison officers Paul Cowell and Carl Battson said they believed the assessment had taken place.

Mr Straw said Government regulations also state that prisoners in an SSCU should be observed every 30 minutes, but Mr Cowell said he was not aware of that order at the time and instead thought "periodic" checks were required.

He added: "At no time did he Mr Woods present a risk that he could harm himself. If I was especially concerned I would have taken him down to healthcare myself."

Nurse Rosalyn Alichukwu said correct procedure was followed on the day of Mr Woods' death when she assesed him before his adjudication with Governor Peter Walls.

However, Mr Straw said regulations were once again breached because the assessment was not conducted by a doctor.

Ms Alichukwu said: "How can a doctor, a locum, assess his mental state when they have never met him before?

"It is impossible. Therefore I had to do it with the doctor next to me."

Governor Walls said that at an adjudication, Mr Woods had been given a punishment of 12 days in the SSCU with loss of all privileges, except tobacco, for failing to return to his cell and for flooding his SSCU cell.

Mr Woods was found hanging in his prison cell at around 4.40pm - around one hour after his adjudication had ended.

The inquest is expected to conclude today.