Labour and Home Affairs Minister Terry Lister last night said he hoped a public statement would be released in the next fortnight about the sudden and controversial death of prison farm inmate Steven Mansfield (Pepe) Dill.

Mr. Dill's family threatened to sue after inmates told them prison guards failed to get help after father and husband Mr. Dill, 41, began to suffer a serious asthma attack on December 17. He died a few hours later.

The family claimed prison authorities were well aware of Mr. Dill's severe asthma condition and therefore should have sent him to hospital as soon as his pump stopped working.

As a result, the Prison has carried out its own investigation and has already submitted its report to the Home Affairs Ministry, and Police are putting together a second report, which will be forward to the coroner.

Mr. Lister said: “I am expecting to have the Police report maybe by the end of next week. I have asked Police Commissioner Jonathan Smith if I can have some kind of report for public consumption soon after that will not infringe on the work of the coroner or an inquest.

“The key for us at this time is having a full and proper investigation carried out. It serves no-ones' purpose for us to rush through the process and come to some ill-founded conclusion.”