Prisoners found hanged

Two remand prisoners were found hanging in their cells yesterday in separate prison incidents, the Home Office said last night.

Raymond Anthony Wilkinson, 27, was found hanging from a door at High Down Prison, near Sutton, Surrey, just after midnight and died before reaching hospital. He was awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy to blackmail.

Warren Jones, 26, was found by staff at Leicester Prison hanging from cell bars at 1.20pm. He was on remand charged with causing actual bodily harm. Today would have been his 27th birthday.

Statistics suggest that between 30 and 50 prisoners - almost all men - will kill themselves this year. The number of suicides in prison fell slightly in 1992 to 38 after a Home Office programme to reduce the deaths. In 1990 there were a record 50 suicides and in 1991 there were 41.

The Home Office said last night that a programme of counselling with the Samaritans, including using prisoners as counsellors, was helping to reduce the number of suicides.