John Torney (50) was found dead in his bed at Maghaberry in July 2005, weeks after learning his case had been referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission for the second time.

When he died, the former RUC constable was in the 11th year of three life sentences for murdering his wife and two children in September 1994.

He had been the only survivor of a shooting in the family home at Lomond Heights, Cookstown - and he blamed his 13-year-old son, also named John, for the killings.

But a Crown Court jury convicted John senior of murdering his son, his wife Linda and daughter Emma (11) in their beds.

Prison staff told the inquest that Torney had been a "model prisoner" who worked as an orderly, helping to prepare meals for other inmates.

His brother, Sam, told the inquest his spirits had been "very good" before his death, because the High Court had recently ordered the Criminal Cases Review Commission to have a second look at his case.

The CCRC had previously turned down his bid to get the conviction referred back to the Court of Appeal.

"Rather than saying 'I'm stuck here in prison' he was saying things were looking up," Sam Torney said. "He was very buoyant.

"He always told us he was innocent. We believed him and still believe him."

A prison officer who knew Torney added: "He was jubilant about his appeal."

Fellow orderly Thomas Bowen found Torney dead in bed after realising he had not got up to start making tea for breakfast just after 8am.

He raised the alarm. Several prison staff and paramedics tried to resuscitate Torney, whose body was still warm.

However, they were unsuccessful and a doctor pronounced the prisoner dead in his cell at 8.50am.

The inquest jury of six women and nine men heard that Torney had suffered a heart attack the year before. He had undergone surgery and was continuing to take medication that he administered to himself.

Sam Torney said his brother's death came as "a shock".

He said: "We assumed the danger wasn't too bad, but obviously it was worse than we thought."

Mr Bowen said he had seen Torney just before lock up the night before and there was no indication that he was feeling unwell.

Because Torney died in prison, there is a legal obligation to hold an inquest into his death.

Coroner Brian Sherrard told the inquest jury of six women and nine men: " Fundamentally, you're going to hear evidence that Mr Torney's death occurred naturally, from a heart condition."

The hearing continues today.