Wife killer died after heart attack, inquest told

An inmate at a south Wales prison was found dead in his bed after a heart attack, an inquest has heard.

Convicted murderer David Maggs, 73, was discovered by staff at HMP Parc, Bridgend, who noticed a “leg hanging out from his bed”.

He was unresponsive when they checked on him, and paramedics were unable to revive him.

His death was reported by South Wales Police on 7 May.

Assistant coroner Rachel Knight was told at the inquest in Pontypool that Maggs had been unwell for several months and was receiving daily help from carers.

The coroner heard he was “fine in himself” when he had been checked earlier in the day.

A post mortem examination carried out at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital found he died as a result of a heart attack.

In 2022, Maggs from Sebastopol, Pontypool was jailed for life for killing his estranged wife Linda who was stabbed 15 times.

He was ordered to serve a minimum term of 20 years.

The coroner said that an inquest was “mandatory” when a prisoner died in custody, and adjourned the inquest to a future date.

Nine inmates have died in two months at the Bridgend prison, including four linked to substance misuse.

The UK government has rejected calls to take over the running of HMP Parc from the private firm G4S.