AN immigration fraudster was found collapsed on the floor of her prison cell at HMP Styal, an inquest at Warrington heard on Tuesday.

Shareen Akhtar, 41, was convicted of fraud for her role in a scam to illegally obtain British passports and visas.

The immigration advisor had complex life-limiting health conditions and was on a breathing machine and oxygen in the prison medical centre as she served her three year sentence, the hearing was told.

A listening device had been fitted inside her cell so her condition could be constantly monitored and staff made hourly checks.

Prison worker Eric Herbert saw her watching TV when he came on duty at 8.25pm on April 16, last year, and heard her talking on the phone half an hour later, the inquest heard.

But when he checked at 10.05pm, she was flat out on her back and unresponsive.

Mr Herbert told the inquest: "She was lying on the floor, a face mask was by her right hand."

He raised the alarm and started CPR.

Prison officers, healthcare staff and paramedics tried in vain to revive her but she was pronounced dead shortly before 11pm.

Det Sgt Steve Jones immediately carried out an extensive investigation at the prison into the sudden death but found no suspicious circumstances.

Mrs Akhtar was born with kyphoscoliosis, a severe congenital deformity of the spine, and also suffered from chronic respiratory failure, pulmonary hypertension and was morbidly obese.

In a statement before he died, her late father Mohammed Yaqub said: "Even with these disabilities, she became an immigration advisor for 15 years and was very well respected in the community for all she did for those in need.

"She had a lot of health issues but never complained about all the pain she was in."

Her family was shocked and upset when she was jailed, he said, and feared she would not survive prison life 'due to her complex health requirements'.

Mrs Akhtar, from Oldham, told her family she 'felt scared of the prison environment' and had written to Styal's governor to raise her concerns.

The inquest heard she was initially taken to hospital when she was jailed in November 2019 and had three further emergency admissions.

Dr Andrew Bentley, a consultant in the ventilation unit at Wythenshawe Hospital, said her health had deteriorated.

In a statement, he told the inquest that Mrs Akhtar's life expectancy was low due to her complex medical conditions.

To survive he said she required non invasive ventilation and long term oxygen therapy.

Peter Segee, assistant coroner for Cheshire, said prison authorities requested an early release for Mrs Akhtar in March 2020 on compassionate grounds but this was declined because she did not meet the criteria.

A second request had been submitted but no decision had been made.

Forensic pathologist Dr Jonathan Medcalf, who carried out a post mortem examination, concluded that the cause of Mrs Akhtar's death was cardio respiratory failure due to her complex medical conditions including kyphoscoliosis and morbid obesity.

Mr Segee said: "From the evidence I have found, Mrs Akhtar received the same level of medical care and treatment at HMP Styal that she would have received if she had not been detained.

"I considered the test for neglect but there was no evidence to support this.

"She was very seriously ill and had a series of life limiting conditions that were expected to take her life at a young age.

"Her consultant said she was not expected to live beyond the age of between 47 to 49."

The coroner concluded that Mrs Akhtar died of natural causes and expressed his sincere condolences to her family.

Mrs Akhtar's husband, retired taxi driver Faryad Mughal, attended the hearing.