An asthmatic inmate who suffocated while waiting hours for medical help was described as friendly and respectful by a prison officer at an inquest yesterday.

The statement from Edward Watson was read at the hearing into the death of father-of-two Steven Mansfield (Pepe) Dill, 41, at the Prison Farm in Ferry Reach, on December 19, 2001.

Mr. Watson described Dill as a repeat prisoner who was very friendly, happy-go-lucky and showed a lot of respect to the guards.

He said: "Everyone was aware of his condition. We knew from seeing him with the equipment and the pumps and things.

"It's our job to know what type of sickness they have for their protection and ours."

Mr. Watson said he came across a worried Dill looking up at the duty house where the guards were on December 18, 2001.

He said he looked into Dill's concerns about delayed medical help and was told it was being dealt with by prison officer Myron Galloway.

Later the officer again saw a concerned Dill and so asked officer Galloway what was happening with the medical help. Officer Galloway tried again, said officer Watson.

"I could still see Dill standing there looking towards the duty hut, pacing back and forth," said officer Watson in his statement.

"I began to be concerned about the amount of time the medical staff were taking. I continued to observe.

"I felt Galloway was doing all he could. I decided not to say anything.

"It's not unusual for medical staff to be half an hour or more due to the distance they live."

During yesterday's hearing former inmate Dwayne Gilbert continued his testimony and said Dill was increasingly concerned about his condition but ignored a suggestion of a fellow prisoner to lie down and look like he was getting CPR to catch the attention of the cameras.

Later still he saw a distressed Dill looking like he wanted to cry but officer Galloway repeated he was waiting for the medical staff.

Dill had already been to the hospital twice that day said Gilbert, first thing in the morning and again in the afternoon.

"He was going to go back but he didn't want to be in trouble for being late. He was going to go back a third time."

Mr. Gilbert said he had twice phoned prison officers using the internal phone to plead on Dill's behalf who was "having confrontations with officers all night begging for his life."

"He kept asking Galloway what was happening about his medical condition."

As Dill's condition worsened Dill said to Gilbert: "Gip man, help me, do something, I am going to die," said Gilbert.

He added: "Those words were important to me because what he said was going to happen, happened. Even though I did the best I could, I still didn't save him."

Mr. Gilbert said Dill had told him previously that getting exciting made his asthma condition worse.

"He could not act out the way he wanted."

Mr. Gilbert, who described himself as a repeat prisoner for the past 20 years, said: "We had conversations about how the medical staff were incompetent, not sure if they would answer. They are not consistent."

He said Dill became despondent as the situation dragged on.

"He kind of lost hope, no way a guy was supposed to be there for all that time without getting help.

"The watch changed at 10 o'clock but no one took him to hospital."

He said he called prison officer Galloway, two hours after the first call, but was told there was nothing Mr. Galloway could do until medical staff arrived.

Former Prisoner Dunavin Nesbitt said he was trying to fill out a form when a wheezing Dill came in and asked Mr. Galloway for a asthma pump and said he "could die if he didn't get it."

He added: "He said he needed a doctor. They argued back and forth for minutes.

"Dill didn't want to leave until he got his pump.

"He was arguing really hard at the time and had trouble breathing. I could tell he was serious."

Nesbitt said he too heard Mr. Galloway say that if Dill died "it was one less prisoner to worry about."

He said he left the pair arguing but later saw Dill.

"He needed to keep walking. He was afraid if he lay down he was scared he would die. I told him to go back to Galloway."

Mr. Nesbitt said he saw Dill again at eight o'clock but he wasn't doing well and was asking people if they had a spare pump.

"After I heard what I heard I found myself running around looking for a pump for Pepe.

"I found myself playing doctor.

"We could not get any help from up top. He fought for his life for close on nine hours."

Later he heard noise and saw Dill being carried out by officers when the ambulance finally arrived after midnight the next day.

Drugs were rampant in the prison farm and actually cheaper than in Court Street, said Mr. Nesbitt.

Earlier in the hearing Dill, who was jailed for drug possession, was labelled a drug user by prison nurse Marionette DeShields.

Medical testimony showed traces of heroin in his body while a doctor said heroin reduced people's ability to breath.

Mr. Nesbitt said he later saw Mrs. DeShields shouting at officer Galloway after Dill had died.

The case, in front of Coroner William Francis, was adjourned to August 20.