BROCKHILL Prison has been criticised by an inquest jury for the care it gave to a vulnerable young mum found hanged in her cell.

Returning a verdict of accidental death, the jury said Anne Marie Bates, 19, was given inappropriate and inadequate care during her sentence, which started in July 2001.

Ms Bates, of Edgbaston, who was charged with robbery, was found hanged in her cell a month after her arrival, a fortnight following the premature birth of her third child.

The jury ruled Ms Bates' placement on A Wing - the most difficult area in the jail's adult section - was inappropriate due to her vulnerability.

It also found sufficient evidence of an inappropriate relationship between a prison officer and another inmate which was the driving force behind Ms Bates transfer to this wing.

The jury also found Ms Bates received inadequate support regarding bullying on the wing and that her concerns for her newly born child effected her state of mind.

Ms Bates' father, Ron Brayson, said he was pleased with the verdict.

"We always knew Anne Marie should not have died. We're grateful some prison officers had the courage and honesty to come forward and tell the truth but still want to know what will happen to those staff who failed her," he said.

"What really matters is Anne Marie did die and nothing will bring her back for us and her children."

Helen Shaw, from INQUEST, an organisation which works with the families of those who die in custody, said: "The inquest and investigation system must be reformed urgently to ensure families don't wait for so long to find out the truth and action is taken so more women don't die in similar circumstances."

A Prison Service spokesman said: "Every prison death is a terrible tragedy and our sympathies are with the family of Anne-Marie Bates."

He said the Prison Service, MPs and the National Offender Management Service were all committed to reducing such deaths.

"We note the findings of the court and will continue to work hard to ensure we offer the best possible care and help for those placed in our custody.

"Following Anne-Marie's death, investigations were undertaken by the Prison Service and police. The Prison Service report into the circumstances of Anne-Marie's death made a number of recommendations which had been accepted and were being implemented before Brockhill changed function to a male prison."

The jury found Ms Bates died accidentally by applying a ligature to herself while not intending to take her own life.