John Boyle was found hanging in Wormwood Scrubs' segregation unit

John Boyle, who was 27 and from Donegal, was held in the segregation block, which was later the focus of an inquiry into allegations of beatings by prison officers.

Lawyers for John Boyle's family have written to detectives urging them to review the matter again.

An inquest jury returned an open verdict on the prisoners' death.

The inquiry call comes after the Home Office agreed to pay almost �2m compensation to other inmates at Wormwood Scrubs who had been beaten and subjected to mock hangings.

Three officers have been convicted of assault.

Anonymous caller

The Boyle family's solicitor, Daniel Machover, said no fresh police inquiry was expected to be launched without new evidence.

He appealed to an anonymous caller who contacted his office in 1999 with information about the case to come forward again.

Mr Machover told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think the police will only want to have a look at this if we have got new positive, decent evidence.

"What the family hopes is that the publicity around this case now will bring forward people who haven't yet told the full story of what happened, and possibly the anonymous caller from 1999."

Mr Machover said the family wanted John Boyle's death to be part of any public inquiry into deaths at Wormwood Scrubs in the 1990s.

Investigation 'welcome'

A Parliamentary Question has also been tabled asking the home secretary for information about the original investigation into John Boyle's death, BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw reports.

John Boyle was found hanging in his cell after being restrained by prison officers.

Pathologists found evidence of other injuries on his body.

After reviewing their initial investigation into the death, police concluded that that there had been "no impropriety" by prison officers.

The Prison Officers Association said it would welcome a new investigation, as it would help prevent further allegations being made against its members.