A child rapist died of natural causes after falling ill at a Kent prison, a coroner has ruled.

Edwin Gallienne, a retired engineer, was sentenced to 12 years in jail after pleading guilty to a total of 18 sexual offences against victims in Hampshire in August 2016.

He was initially moved to HMP Lewes in East Sussex before then being transferred to HMP Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey later that year.

An inquest at the Archbishop's Palace in Maidstone was told the 76-year-old had a complex medical history of heart disease and diabetes mellitus.

Gallienne was seen by a physiotherapist at the prison on December 19, 2017, complaining of shortness of breath and a chest x-ray was taken.

A nurse then treated him a week later on Boxing Day, noting the breathing difficulties and low blood pressure, but he was not seen by a GP until the following day.

In the early hours of December 28, he was admitted to Medway Maritime Hospital and was transferred to the cardiac ward, but could only be treated "conservatively", as the medication for his heart failure affected his renal function, the hearing was told.

His condition continued to deteriorate and he died on January 14, 2018, with a post-mortem giving the cause of death as ischaemic heart disease.

A clinical review of his care and treatment was subsequently undertaken which found that a medical assessment by a doctor should have taken place at an earlier stage than December 27.

Senior coroner Patricia Harding accepted this but said the fact he was not seen earlier "did not contribute in any way to his death".

The inquest was also told how new measures had been put in place and further advice had been given to prison staff about how to seek help during 'out-of-hours' periods in particular.

Mrs Harding added: "It's quite clear on the balance of probabilities there is no evidence of third party involvement in relation to his death.

"I conclude he died of natural causes."

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