The family of a man, who died in prison after being jailed for stealing a gingerbread man during the London riots, has slammed the UK's "draconian" prison system.

James Best, 37, was being held in custody at Wandsworth Prison as he awaited sentence for stealing the biscuit from a bakery in Croydon on August 8, 2011.

After taking part in a "gruelling" gym session at the prison on September 8, 2011, he collapsed following a heart attack and died within hours.

Mr Best, a former chef, suffered from a number of mental health problems and had been sectioned a month before the civil unrest.

An inquest held last week found he died of natural causes but the jury who sat on the case delivered a scathing verdict of the prison service's response to his sudden collapse.

The prison officer who initially tended to Mr Best was accused of failing to recognise the severity of the prisoner's condition, causing a lengthy delay in the dispatch of an ambulance.

Further liability was also attributed to the LAS, who took more than eight minutes to finally send paramedics, with the jury categorically stating that its response "contributed to his death".

Mr Best's family including his brother Owen Daniel, 31, blasted the judicial system and the prison service.

Mr Daniel said: "Considering the whole week was filled with the majority of witnesses appearing arrogant, insensitive and generally covering their rears and stating how 'prompt' and 'proactive' they were in their numerous failings to save James' life, we were pleased with the damning critical verdict.

"We feel a bigger debate is required surrounding the British legal system; how does society benefit from locking people away for such minor issues?

"We would like an honest, open and informed debate regarding the introduction of draconian emergency laws which can have lethal consequences.

"The threats of youth unemployment, social unrest are all still there and we should debate what would happen to future vulnerable individuals who need hospital treatment as opposed to jail time."

Nancy Collins, a lawyer at Irwin Mitchell who represented James’ family, believes the prison service is in "crisis".

She said: "The evidence heard at the inquest shows that James was failed by the prison staff, the prison healthcare staff and the LAS.

"Unless urgent measures are implemented to address those failures there is a very real risk that there will be other avoidable deaths in prison custody."

In 2011 Wandsworth Prison, which holds 1,665 prisoners, was branded the most "unsafe" in the country for inmates following