Bridgend: Parc prisoner Shay Andrews' death drug related - inquest

The death of a prisoner is believed to have been drug related, an inquest has heard.

The body of Shay Liam Franklyn Andrews, 23, was found in his cell at HMP Parc, Bridgend, on 18 March.

He is one of six people to die at the facility between 27 February and 19 March, four of which were believed to have been linked to drugs.

An investigation into the deaths is being carried out by the prisons and probation ombudsman.

A new powerful synthetic opioid called Nitazene has been identified as the possible cause.

At Pontypridd Coroner's Court on Thursday, usher Beverly Morgan read a brief report into Andrews' death.

She said that at 01:24 GMT on 18 March, Birmingham-born Andrews was found unresponsive by a prison officer.

He was taken to the nearby Princess of Wales Hospital by ambulance where he was pronounced dead.

"Drugs are believed to have been involved," she added.

Assistant coroner for south Wales central, Rachel Knight, adjourned the inquest pending further investigations and passed on her condolences to Andrews' family.

Opened in November 1997, HMP Parc is a category B prison holding male adult and young offenders.

At the time of a 2019 inspection it held 1,612 prisoners, making it one of the largest prisons in the UK.