THE parents of a man found hanged in a prison cell while battling schizophrenia are hopeful the inquest into his death may shed further light on the tragedy.
Vince Morgan, 29, was found at HMP Northallerton in North Yorkshire last Christmas, as previously reported.
He was sentenced to 18 months last July after attacking his father, Trevor, three months earlier.
Trevor and his wife, Sharon, say their son, who lived with them in Askew Avenue, west Hull, should not have been sent to prison.
Instead, they believe he should have been sent to a secure hospital for treatment.
Now, the family have been told the inquest into their son's death will be held on October 28 and a jury will listen to the evidence surrounding the tragedy.
Trevor, 54, said: "We just want someone to hold their hands up and say, 'Vince should have been treated as a patient and not a prisoner'.
"We want to make sure another family does not have to go through what we are going through right now."
Before the start of the inquest, scheduled to last five days from October 28, the Morgans will be told the process is not designed to find fault.
However, a coroner has the power to make recommendations if he or she believes it may prevent a future tragedy.
"Ultimately, we want someone to be found accountable for what's happened," said Trevor.
"Things could have been very different if our son was sent to a secure unit. We believe that he could still be here today."
According to his family, Vince developed schizophrenia as a result of a brain injury he suffered as a child after being knocked down by a car.
Vince served some of his sentence at HMP Hull, before being transferred to HMP Northallerton, where he was pronounced dead on December 28.
His death happened on his mother's birthday.
Hull West and Hessle MP Alan Johnson – a former Health Secretary – is backing the family.
Previously, he has said there had been a "serious failure" and has now written to ministers about Vince's case.
Trevor and Sharon also have the support of several mental health charities.
Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of the charity Sane, which campaigns for greater understanding of mental health problems, said: "It is unforgivable that someone so much in need as Vince Morgan should have been imprisoned rather than treated in a psychiatric unit.
"We are equally dismayed that his parents' concerns seem to have been disregarded and that, as often happens, confidentiality and data protection are used to keep people like them out in the cold."
Meanwhile, Hull West and Hessle MP Alan Johnson says he shares the family's concerns and has written to ministers.
The Prison Service says it is unable to comment due to an ongoing investigation it is carrying out into Vince's death.
Vince is survived by sister Kelly, 34, and brother, Trevor, 24.
