PRISON bosses have been told to address medical procedures after a 42-year-old inmate, whose partner lives in Ipswich, suffered a fatal heart attack in a Norwich prison cell.

PRISON bosses have been told to address medical procedures after a 42-year-old inmate, whose partner lives in Ipswich, suffered a fatal heart attack in a Norwich prison cell.

A two-day inquest ruled that "system neglect" contributed to the death of Anthony Everett, who died of natural causes.

Smoker Mr Everett was serving a 21-month sentence for dangerous driving and driving while disqualified, when he suffered the attack on February 12.

He had been jailed after twice ramming a police car with a van, as officers tried to pull him over. He was a banned driver at the time of the incident in July 2001.

Following the inquest verdict, Norwich Coroner William Armstrong told the prison service that medical records should have been made available to staff. He said they were not available in this case.

"This is a general matter that needs addressing by the prison service," he said.

Mr Everett, formerly of Hellesdon, near Norwich, was found in his cell on B wing, after the alarm had been raised by his cellmate.

The prison officer who found Mr Everett described him as "ashen".

The victim was taken by ambulance to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital at Colney where he died the next day.

The inquest was told Mr Everett had a medical inspection when he entered prison on April 26 last year.

His blood pressure was found to be 152 over 108; 140 over 85 was described as a normal blood pressure.

Dr Stuart Burns, chief medical officer at Norwich Prison, said that it was not unusual for someone going into prison to have high blood pressure.

Mr Everett had not offered any information about blood-pressure problems.

Dr Burns said he had requested copies of Mr Everett's previous medical records, but had not received them. He added that if he had had the previous records he would have taken action.

Mr Everett's partner of 11 years Margaret Tribble, 57, of Alderlee, Ipswich, told the Star in May: "Not getting answers from the prison service has made things much worse."

After the inquest Mr Everett's father, said he was satisfied with the coroner's recommendations, but that he was not happy with the way his son had been treated.

"My son kept complaining of chest pains for a good three months before he died," said James Everett, aged 73.

"All they gave him was Gaviscon and painkillers. He would have had a good chance of getting over it if he had have been seen promptly."