Inquest to begin for Blackpool woman who died while serving sentence at notorious Styal prison in 2018

An inquest into the death a woman who died while serving a prison sentence for beating up a Blackpool massage parlour boss is due to begin on Monday (December 18).

The pre-inquest review in the case of Imogen Mellor will be held at the Cheshire Coroner's Court in Warrington, beginning at 11am.

Ms Mellor, 29, died in Wythenshawe Hospital on June 4 2018 shortly after emergency services were called to HMP Styal, a women's only prison in Cheshire.

There was said to be no one else involved in the incident.

An independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has been ongoing since the incident, one of several deaths linked to Style, and has delayed the inquest for several years.

Ms Mellor had appeared in Preston Crown Court for hitting her massage parlour boss with a rubber hammer following a confrontation.

She had been living on the Blackpool premises but had been ordered to leave by the victim after he discovered she had been secretly allowing her partner, Zoe Hickey, to stay over.

It was reported in court that she, along with Ms Hickey, took £220 cash and evaded cops for ten days in a 'Thelma and Louise' style fugitive spree.

Ms Mellor, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to 21 months in prison after she pleading to unlawful wounding and theft, and Ms Hickey was sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to theft at Preston Crown Court.

Monday's inquest hearing, officiated by assistant coroner Charlotte Keighley, will be followed by a full inquest which is currently listed for April 22 next year.