WELFARE checks on a Winchester fathers’ rights campaigner found hanged in his jail cell were inadequate, an inquest heard.

The officer in charge of checking on Haydn Burton admitted yesterday he did not know which prisoner was in which bed in the shared cell.

Matthew Beard told Winchester Coroner’s Court he had not spoken to Mr Burton, only noted him moving during two checks on the day of his death.

Taimour Lay, counsel for Mr Burton’s family, said guidelines and training meant Mr Beard should have interacted with Mr Burton during the second check, especially as Mr Burton had been identified as a suicide risk.

The inquest heard Mr Beard carried out two checks on the morning of July 15, one at 8am which stated “in bed movement noted”, and a check at around 9.10am where he noted “on bed movement noted” - around 50 minutes before Mr Burton was found dead.

CCTV footage showed Mr Beard walking and glancing at Mr Burton’s cell, which he shared with Tomasz Kowalczyk, at 9.10am.

Mr Beard admitted the checks were divided between staff on the wing.

When pressed by Mr Lay which prisoner was in each bed of the cell, Mr Beard admitted he did not know.

Mr Lay said: “Are you seriously capable of making a check without knowing which bed the prisoner was in?

“Why did you not ask anyone, which bed is Haydn Burton in? You had not conducted a proper observation, do you accept that?”

Mr Beard said in hindsight he should have made a longer observation and interacted with Mr Burton, but said at the time he was happy with his check.

Mr Burton, 42, was being held in remand at the prison facing an allegation of assault.

He was also due to be sentenced at crown court for possession of an offensive weapon, criminal damage to a police cell and breach of a criminal behavioural order by being anti social.

He died several days after being found hanging in his cell.

Mr Burton was a member of New Fathers 4 Justice and was campaigning to highlight children’s rights including secret family courts.

He had become a well-known figure in Winchester city centre protesting at the corner of Upper Brook Street and St George’s Street in a Superman costume and with a loud hailer.

The inquest is due to finish on Tuesday, September 27.