Inquest opens into the death of prisoner Christian Hinkley at HMP Swaleside in Eastchurch
11:19, 14 August 2019
updated: 11:34, 14 August 2019
An inquest has opened into the death of a prisoner who died in his cell.
It was confirmed 33-year-old Christian Hinkley, who was born in Dartford, died on Monday, July 29, after firefighters were called to HMP Swaleside, in Eastchurch, following reports of a fire in a cell.
At a hearing at Archbishop's Palace in Maidstone this morning, assistant coroner Katrina Hepburn said a cause of death had not yet been established in a post mortem.
The hearing was adjourned after a provisional date was set for it to be resumed on Monday, November 11, at 11.30am.
It is understood a jury will be required as the death took place in custody.
Hinkley was serving a sentence for GBH.
A separate independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman is underway, but results are not expected to be published until after the inquest concludes.
