A PRISON doctor has told a court that an inmate at Peterborough prison who was allegedly beaten and died later from a heart attack had not shown any signs of a cardiac condition.
Dr Jean Claude Albrecht had worked as a full-time GP at HMP Peterborough for two-and-a-half years, before the death of taxi driver Brian Haynes (33) on September 11 last year.
Dr Albrecht told a trial at Norwich Crown Court yesterday that Haynes h
ad been prescribed amitrptyline on June 10 last year, as he was suffering depression and could not sleep.
He said that if Haynes had suffered with a heart condition he would not have been prescribed the drug, as it is not recommended for such patients.
The court had been told earlier by prosecutor John Farmer that Haynes did not die from the injuries which were allegedly inflicted no him during an attack in his cell, but from a heart attack brought on by the assault.
Five men have pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.
They are Shane Farrington (26) of HMP Peterborough; Dale Maddison (43) of Deacons Lane, Ely, Sammy Lindsay (22) of Bainton Green Road, in Bainton, near Stamford; Sebastian Waller (26) of Moorland Court, Skaters Way, Peterborough and Gary Stretch (43) of Badgeney Road, March.
A sixth man, Paul Jefford (24) of Wellington Road, Peterborough, has admitted the offence.
The court heard earlier that they had embarked on a joint venture to give a "violent warning" to Mr Haynes, because of resentment over him dealing drugs and tobacco in the jail.
Dr Albrecht said when Haynes complained of chest pains, he concluded it was not asthma and "there was no indication of any cardiac condition".
He said there was nothing in Haynes' medical notes to indicate he had been given an ECG examination.
The doctor said at the time he was not aware that Haynes was a heavy smoker - smoking between 40 and 60 cigarettes a day.
He said that Haynes' prescription was increased to 150 milligrams, which he was prescribed just before his death, as the previous lower amount was not having the desired effect.
Dr Albrecht said he had not seen notes of Haynes' medical history.
The court also heard from prison officer Ben Ward who told how he had gone to Haynes' cell on the evening of September 11 last year and had found him sitting on his bed with his back to the wall.
He said: "I checked his pulse but there wasn't one. We had already summoned medical help. My colleague Mark Grose also checked for a pulse and found none."
He said efforts were made to revive Haynes but he did not respond.
The previous day, the court had heard from a friend of Haynes, named in court as Alex, who said he had seen Waller, Lindsay, Jefford and Farrington go towards Haynes' cell with Stretch left standing outside.
