A coroner has urged the Director of Prisons to ban the use of an anti-depressant and sedative drug following the death of a prisoner.

Paul Pitts took an overdose of amitryptiline after he received "bad news" from his girlfriend while serving a seven-year sentence at Stafford Jail.

Stafford coroner Andrew Haigh said following the inquest in Stafford: "We feel the death of Paul Pitts could have been prevented. I am not here to make any findings emanating from this inquiry but I intend to write to the Director of Prison on two matters.

"The first is to express concern about the continued use of amitryptiline in prisons when there are alternative drugs.

"The second is something which has only been touched upon. Medical staff should have to hand the best possible information they can on prisoners. It would be beneficial if prison staff could have available all information that is pertinent to prisoners."

A jury returned a verdict that Pitts (29) of Siddon Road, Bilston, Wolverhampton, died from an overdose of prescribed medicine. He was less than six months into his sentence for robbery.

The jury foreman told the coroner: "We are sure he intended to kill himself. He was not suffering from depression but there was no indication to staff that he intended to kill himself."

After the hearing, Pitts' mother Louise Farney said in a statement: "It was a full inquiry and I would like to express my thanks to the coroner who ensured that a full inquiry had taken place which uncovered the facts.

"Amitryptiline is now supplied on a daily basis in liquid form. He received a week's supply at a time which enabled him to take his life after he had received bad news."

Mrs Farney said she visited her son twice a week. "He was very upset about a letter he received from his girlfriend that she was not planning to visit him. He asked me to try to get her to change her mind but she could not be persuaded."

Jennifer Collins, a medic at the prison, told the inquest that Pitt was "polite, charismatic and consistently pleasant." "His medication is quite commonly used and is an anti-depressant which has a sedative effect. He did not give me the impression he could harm himself.

"It was a very popular medication," she said.

Pathologist Dr Stephen Harris said Pitt - who was found dead in his cell in February 2004 - died from an overdose of amitryptiline but he was unable to say how many tablets had been taken.