The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed the prisoner who died in hospital earlier this month was a convicted sex offender.

James Richard Fargher was taken to Noble’s Hospital on August 14, and died four days later.

Fargher was sent to prison for four years in March after he admitted carrying out seven indecent assaults on girls aged between eight and 20.

The 67-year-old from Peel was said to have been receiving treatment for a serious medical condition at the time of his death.

The Department of Home Affairs says as with all deaths in custody, an inquest will be held – it’s expected to open on Monday at Douglas Courthouse.

In the UK, the Independent Police Complaints Commission investigates all incidents of deaths in custody – however the Department says there’ll be no police probe.

But standard procedure for all such deaths means the inquest will be held before a jury.

After he was convicted, Fargher was described as a sexual bully and a danger to women – and was alleged to have attacked women over a 45 year period.