A FATHER'S rights campaigner found hanged in his cell was failed by a Hampshire prison, a jury has found.

Haydn Burton was found by officers at Winchester Prison on July 15 last year, but staff missed checks and communicated poorly with management and health care officials.

Senior corner Grahame Short said 2015 "was a not a good year" for the prison adding: "I find that there remains certain issues that need to be tackled which were highlighted [by the jury]."

Subsequently, Mr Short said he would not make recommendations to the Ministry of Justice but instead list the issues that need to be addressed.

Over the course of the two-week-long inquest, jurors heard the circumstances surrounding the 42-year-old's death after he was found hanged in his cell at HMP Winchester.

The court heard how he was taken to prison on May 26 last year charged with two accounts of assault causing actual bodily harm.

A month later, on June 17, he appeared at Winchester Crown Court via video link, where he asked to change his lawyer and made account to being stabbed with a pen by his cellmate the previous day.

He was also at court for other alleged offences and was due to be sentenced in August.

On July 14 officers put Mr Burton, formerly of Wolfe Close, Winchester, on a care in custody and treatment plan as they believed he was at risk of suicide or self harm. As a result, they checked on him hourly.

This claim was backed up by Jack Murray, a prisoner who is trained to listen in confidence to the concerns of fellow inmates, who told the court the 42-year-old had spoken of debts and hanging himself.

However, the next day, in between checks and whilst his cellmate went on a walk, Mr Burton hanged himself.

He was found by officer just minutes later and rushed across Romsey Road to the neighbouring Royal Hampshire County Hospital.

However, despite extensive efforts from doctors to save him, the fathers' rights campaign died on July 18.

The court also heard from pathologist Dr Basil Purdue who gave a cause of death as delayed effects of ligature suspension.

He added that even though Mr Burton still had a pulse after being found by guards on July 15, a brain specialist concluded he had sustained irreversible brain damage caused by oxygen deficiency.

Mr Burton was a member of New Fathers 4 Justice and was campaigning to highlight children’s rights including secret family courts.

He had become a well-known figure in Winchester city centre protesting at the corner of Upper Brook Street and St George’s Street in a Superman costume and with a loud hailer.

The jury were asked to answer six questions when deliberating their decision, these included if adequate checks by prison guards were made and if welfare checks should have been carried out sooner.

The jury informed senior corner Grahame Short they had reached a conclusion of a narrative verdict following almost eight hours of deliberation over two days.

The MoJ has been contacted by the Daily Echo for comment.

“This is a tragic case and our sympathies are with Haydn Burton’s friends and family.

“We have already taken action and accepted all the recommendations following the PPO investigation.

"We will now carefully consider the inquest findings to help ensure such incidents are not repeated.

“Safety in prisons is fundamental to the proper functioning of our justice system and a vital part of our reform plans.”