A man accused of raping two women in Oxford - including a pensioner - has been found hanging in his cell at Bullingdon Prison.

Hilary Sanyika, 31, of Cave Street, Oxford, was found by prison staff at Bullingdon, near Bicester, at 7.30am on Tuesday.

They attempted to resuscitate him but he was pronounced dead at 8am by paramedics.

Police spokesman Kate Smith said Banbury CID launched an investigation into the death but were not treating it as suspicious.

Mr Sanyika was remanded to Bullingdon prison on November 21 last year.

As previously reported in the Oxford Mail he was accused of a series of serious sexual offences.

He was alleged to have attacked an 80-year-old woman on Saturday, November 18.

Police said the woman was left "deeply traumatised" and in need of specialist care.

Mr Sanyika was charged with raping her, attempting to rape her, and serious sexual assault and trespassing at her home with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

He was also charged with the rape of a 33-year-old woman in Oxford on October 30. He was accused of attempting to wound her with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Neither woman can be named for legal reasons.

When she heard of his death the 33-year-old complainant said: "I was shocked and regret not having the opportunity to face him at the trial."

Police spokesman Miss Smith said the rape investigations would not be officially closed, but would be filed in case new evidence was found which suggested someone other than Mr Sanyika was responsible.

She said: "Unless further evidence comes to light the cases will be filed. They are never closed in case new evidence comes to light."

A Home Office spokesman said: "Every death in custody is a tragedy and our thoughts are with the family and friends of Mr Sanyika."

She said prisons have staff training and care planning regimes to stop suicides and self harming in prisons, with prisoners at risk of serious self harm being given individually tailored care plans.

She said Mr Sanyika had presented no indication that he was at risk of taking his own life.

"He wasn't on suicide or self-harm precautions, there was no indication of him being suicidal before," she added.

The prison service and the probation ombudsman will carry out an inquiry into the death.