A TEENAGE prisoner who had stabbed his own father in an 'explosion of anger’ was self-harming in jail before being found dead in his cell, a court has heard.

Anthony McNally was serving a four year prison sentence after leaving his father with part of his stomach hanging out due to multiple stab wounds.

The 18-year-old, originally of Leach Road in Bicester, was jailed in August 2020 after the violent outburst but was found dead in his Aylesbury prison cell only five months later.

READ MORE: In the Dock: Jail for thief who stole £150 of clothes from Next Superstore

Emergency services rushed to help the teen but the young man was declared dead the next day, January 8, 2021, at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

McNally was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court after her pinned his father against the side of a bed and attacked him with a five-inch-long blade at the family home.

Using a wooden-handled knife, the attack was described as a 'hammering' of blows with McNally 'using all his strength' to injure his father. The attack was partly recorded on a mobile phone.

The incident came after he had made numerous threats towards his family in their home on February 10, 2020 - including telling his mother he would 'throw acid in her face' and shoot her with an air rifle.

He pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and Judge Peter Ross sentenced him to four years imprisonment, stating that McNally had 'lost his temper'. 

READ MORE: Two women have eggs thrown at them in homophobic attack in Frogmoor

At Buckinghamshire coroner's court, senior coroner Crispin Butler has opened a jury inquest into the cause of McNally’s death which is expected to finish on March 27.

The inquest heard today (March 13) that McNally had showed some signs of self-harming in prison and disclosed to a prison officer that he suffered from social anxiety.

But the prison staff said it was ‘shocking’ to hear about McNally’s death stating that he had been in ‘good spirits’ in the weeks leading up to it.

Prison officer Jordan Johnson, who had been McNally’s key worker in Aylesbury, said: “It’s the first time I experienced anything like that.

“The news was a massive shock to the system especially as I was his key worker and in my view it was totally unexpected.”

He told the jury he couldn’t recall ‘too much’ about McNally’s self-harming and added there no were ‘no talks’ of suicide or suicidal thoughts.

READ MORE: Four arrested after police rural crime force find suspected stolen trailers

A prison custodial manager added: “It was a shock. When I heard there was a death on my wing I didn’t immediately think of Anthony. It was shocking and very sad.”

The inquest continues.