Prison inmate found dead

A magisterial inquiry is underway into the death of a Corradino Correctional Facility inmate.

The unidentified male inmate's corpse was discovered in his cell at around 2pm, the home affairs ministry said in a statement.

MaltaToday was told by prison sources the inmate is Julian Genovese, 53, who was last week remanded in custody after pleading guilty to escaping from Mater Dei Hospital. Genovese was under preventive custody after facing charges of domestic violence two weeks ago, and of causing grievous bodily harm to a woman.

After escaping from Mater Dei, where he was taken to after complaining of chest pains, he was found at his partner's residence at Ta' Zwejt housing estate in San Gwann.

Magistrate Edwina Grima is investigating the alleged suicide.

First indications are that the involvement of third parties or drug abuse have been ruled out in the death.

Genovese, a taxi driver, had a long history of crime, having been been previously jailed for three years in 2009, after assaulting his sister-in-law back in 2007. He had breached the conditions of a previous release and broken two suspended jail terms.