A prisoner serving life for murder has died at the top security Maghaberry jail.

Sources at the Co Antrim prison say he committed suicide.

The man has not yet been named.

But is understood he had been convicted a number of years ago of murder.

In a statement, the Prison Service: “We can confirm the death of a prisoner at Maghaberry prison.

“His next of kin have been informed and the Prison Service has expressed sympathy to the family.

“The PSNI, coroner and prisoner ombudsman will conduct a full investigation into the death.”

It is the second death at the high security prison in less than a fortnight.

Gerard Mulligan took his own life on November 5.

He was on remand charged with murdering his father, Gerald Mulligan, in September with a breeze block at his Lisburn home.