A CONVICTED killer who appeared “quite chipper” on arrival at Perth prison was found dead in his cell just hours later, a fatal accident inquiry heard yesterday.

Graeme Harper (40), jailed for culpable homicide in 2004, was found hanging above a pool of blood on January 27 this year.

He had attempted to slash his wrists with a disposable razor as well as hanging himself with a curtain.

Harper was jailed for eight years after smashing his way into a man’s home and stabbing him.

He had gone to Paul Chalmers’ home to try and “scare him off” because he was having a relationship with a girl he knew.

Harper threw a brick through the window, climbed in and—as Mr Chalmers bent down to pick up the broken glass— plunged a knife into his buttock.

The High Court in Forfar heard that the “unusual” attack left the victim with a severed artery that caused him to bleed to death.

Yesterday’s inquiry heard how Harper was brought to Perth prison on January 26 this year after he was arrested for absconding from Noranside open jail in Angus.

He had previously attempted to take his own life in 2004 and had been “marked” as a suicide risk.

However, witnesses insisted he seemed in a “good mood” in the hours running up to his death earlier this year.

Prison officer John Jack was working in D-Hall of the Perth jail when Harper arrived.

“I showed Mr Harper to his cell and he appeared to be fine,” he said.

“I locked up his cell at about 8.20pm and at that stage he was okay.”

Mr Jack said he had no reason to check on Harper again that night.

“I next returned to his cell shortly after 8am as I was taking the prisoners their milk,” he said.

“I put the milk inside the door and looked up at Mr Harper. His back was covered in a curtain and I thought he was looking out of the window.

“I said ‘There’s your milk,’ but there was no reaction and at that point I sensed there was something wrong.

“I went closer and thought Mr Harper was standing on a chair but I realised he was not so I raised the alarm,” the prison officer continued.

“A fellow officer came in and touched him. He said, ‘He is rigid, he is cold’.”

A doctor found that Harper had died by hanging and concluded that the wounds inflicted with the disposable razor blade— although causing considerable blood loss—were “superficial”.

The time of death was estimated at “several hours before” the discovery of his body.

Prison officer Robert Taylor had checked Harper into Perth prison the afternoon before his death.

He completed a risk assessment and insisted there was nothing to suggest the prisoner was suicidal.

“He was quite happy, quite chipper,” he told the inquiry.

“As far as I was concerned, Mr Harper was just a normal prisoner.”

Nurse Catriona Edmondson also carried out a risk assessment at Perth prison the day before Harper died and said that he had given her no cause for concern.

“He appeared to be in a very good mood and was chatty,” she said.

“He was discussing the future and was making excellent eye contact,” the nurse added.

Ms Edmondson said she was aware of Harper’s previous mental health problems—which resulted in him self-harming in 2004—but maintained he was in “no way” depressed the day before he died.

“I was very surprised and shocked when I heard what had happened,” she added.

After hearing all the evidence Sheriff Michael Fletcher said, “I am satisfied with the evidence that suggests this was a case of self-harm.”

The sheriff will issue his formal findings in writing at a later date.