A PATIENT at a Hampshire psychiatric unit died shortly after developing lung cancer, an inquest heard.

Thomas Clennell was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer in July 2011.

The 71-year-old, a patient at Ravenswood House, in Knowle, died just weeks later in hospital after the cancer spread to his liver and spine.

A heavy smoker, Mr Clennell had suffered from respiratory health problems as well as back pain and towards the end of his life had developed emphysema.

In the run-up to his death he had become confused following a fall at the medium secure unit, an inquest in Portsmouth was told.

He was transferred to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth and died in his sleep on August 13, 2011.

The inquest heard how Mr Clennell had moved to the unit in 2007 having had spells at Broadmoor Hospital in Berkshire.

He had been transferred to psychiatric care after committing a series of armed robberies in the early 1990s.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Mark Roberts said his patient had suffered from a “personality disorder” since childhood.

A jury ruled that Mr Clennell had died of natural causes.