A prison inquiry will be launched into the death of a man found hanged in his cell at Gloucester Prison on Wednesday.

Richard Jones, 29, is the third prisoner to die from self-inflicted injuries at the prison in two years.

Officials say the deaths reflect the problems local prisons face.

Mr Jones, who was convicted but not sentenced on charges of theft, was found in his cell by prison staff.

They (prisoners) come with all their emotional baggage and can rapidly become depressed

Chris Popple, Gloucester Prison

Chris Popple, deputy governor of Gloucester Prison, said Mr Jones was known to be at risk and was from outside the prison's normal catchment area.

"Prisoners are normally accommodated as close to home as possible, but this is often not possible," he said.

He said the deaths over the last two years at Gloucester were a tragedy, but they reflected the problems of local prisons.

"Prisoners are on the streets in the morning, in court at lunchtime and then in prison at night.

"They come with all their emotional baggage and can rapidly become depressed."

Overcrowding problems

But he stressed the three individual cases were different.

"Factors such as the distance inmates are from their families and drug problems also need to be considered," he added.

A recent rise in self-harm across the whole of the prison service has also been linked to overcrowding.

A report on Gloucester Prison from the prison service in November said overcrowding there was creating unacceptable living conditions.