A BLACKBURN teenager has become the first inmate at a showpiece prison to commit suicide.

Robert Markham was found dead in his single cell at Lancaster Farms, Lancaster, at 6am on Friday. Attempts to resuscitate him failed.

The 19-year-old, who was described as being of no fixed address at his last court appearance, had used his shoelaces to hang himself.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "He wasn't thought to be a suicide risk at all so it is a great tragedy.

"This was the first suicide at Lancaster Farms since it opened in 1993 and the fact that its unbroken record of no suicides has gone now is a tragedy for the prison.''

An inquest has been opened and adjourned for further inquiries by the coroner at Lancaster. An internal inquiry into the death will also be held.

Markham was sentenced to 18 months' detention in September for aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified, vehicle interference and having no insurance. He was ordered to serve three months of a previous unexpired sentence on top.

The court was told Markham had caused the death of his best friend by dangerous driving three years before and lost his father in a road accident.

He had already served five sentences in young offenders' institutions but offended again the day he was released.

Markham's solicitor, Mark Savill, said his client was "living with the ghosts'' of his father and friend and wanted to give up taking cars, and his dependency on alcohol and drugs.

Lancaster Farms operates on the basis that if prisoners are treated like people, they will behave better.

Officers are encouraged to act as father figures or friends to inmates and emphasis is put on getting prisoners to talk about their problems.

Robert Markham's funeral will be held at Pleasington on Friday morning.

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