An inmate who hanged himself at HMP Lincoln had chatted happily with staff just hours before his death.

Rigorous checks on the mental state of Paul Robert Roworth were carried out repeatedly in the days before he was found dead in his cell.

The 25-year-old, who had a history of drug abuse, had just finished a detoxification programme that had seen him stop taking methadone.

Two days before his death he was also transferred to a segregation unit, shortly after being accused of assaulting a prison officer.

But an inquest heard that he had shown no signs of depression – and prison officer Rachel Henson said he was acting like a "happy, cheeky typical young lad" on the morning of his death.

The inquest was told that then Governor Rod Foster was left "absolutely astounded" by news of the death on October 26 in 2007, and said there had been no indication that Mr Roworth was feeling suicidal.

The family were also left stunned by the news.

Mr Roworth had been serving an eight-month sentence for theft and breaching an ASBO.

He had been transferred to HMP Lincoln after allegations of an "association" with a female member of staff at HMP Nottingham.

The inquest was told that four months before his death, he had swallowed as many as 19 bags of heroin in Nottingham in what he told doctors was an attempt to kill himself.

Jurors heard that, as he later admitted, it was more likely that he had merely been trying to hide the stash of drugs from police.

But coroner Stuart Fisher said Mr Roworth was frequently in trouble with the law.

"He had a lengthy criminal history and a long history of drug abuse," he said.

"These two issues were inextricably linked."

The jury returned a narrative verdict in which they said that while Mr Roworth had hanged himself, there was no evidence he had intended to end his life.