The paedophile former football coach Barry Bennell is likely to have died of throat cancer, a coroner has said.  

The 69-year-old, who was also known as Richard Jones, died on September 16 at HMP Littlehey, near Huntingdon.  

Bennell, a former Crewe Alexandra coach, was serving a 34-year sentence after being convicted of a number of child sex offences.   

Simon Milburn, an area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, opened an inquest into the prisoner’s death at Peterborough Town Hall today (Thursday). 

The Hunts Post: Barry Bennell, was also known as Richard Jones, and was serving a a 34-year sentence after being convicted of child sex offences. Barry Bennell, was also known as Richard Jones, and was serving a a 34-year sentence after being convicted of child sex offences. (Image: PA Images)At the brief hearing, Mr Milburn said a post mortem examination have a provisional cause of death as bilateral bronchial pneumonia as a result of throat cancer.  

He then adjourned the matter for an inquest to take place at a future date.  

Bennell was jailed for 30 years in 2018 after being convicted of 52 child sexual offences against 12 boys.   

He was ordered to serve an additional four years in 2020 after pleading guilty to other offences against two boys.   

Bennell had suffered from cancer for a number of years and had operations to remove tumours from his tongue in 2004 and 2016, although he was said to be in remission in 2020. 

The Hunts Post: HMP Littlehey, near Huntingdon. HMP Littlehey, near Huntingdon. (Image: Google Street View)HMP Littlehey is a specialist prison for men convicted of sex offences.   

All deaths in custody are investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.  

When he was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court in 2018, Recorder of Liverpool Judge Clement Goldstone QC said he “may well die in prison”.   

His final prison sentence, in 2020, was the fifth time he had been jailed.   

At that hearing, the court was told he had a detached retina after being attacked in prison and was in remission from cancer.   

Bennell, a former Manchester City scout, abused boys he coached in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.   

Earlier this month, another inquest was opened into the death of a Cambridgeshire prisoner at HMP Whitemoor, in March.  

Jason Thaxter died on August 15. His provisional cause of death was given as hanging.