An unemployed antiques dealer who was jailed for eight years for handling a stolen copy of a rare first collection of Shakespeare's plays has died in jail.
Raymond Scott, 55, was pronounced dead after being found unconscious in his cell in Northumberland Prison at about 8.40am today.
Scott, who had a taste for the high life, was jailed in August 2010 after being caught when he walked into one of the world's leading Shakespeare research centres with the 17th century book, which was recognised by staff.
A Prison Service spokeswoman said: "HMP Northumberland prisoner Raymond Scott was pronounced dead at approximately 8.40am on Wednesday March 14 after being found unconscious in his cell.
"As with all deaths in custody, the independent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will conduct an investigation."
A jury at Newcastle Crown Court found Scott guilty in July 2010 of handling stolen goods and removing stolen property from Britain.
But he was cleared of stealing the book from Durham University in 1988.
Passing sentence, Judge Richard Lowden said: "You are to some extent a fantasist and have to some degree a personality disorder and you have been an alcoholic.
"It is clear that from the (psychiatric) report you are not suffering from any mental disorder."
Scott drove a yellow Ferrari and posed as an international playboy despite having huge debts, the court heard.
Staff at the renowned Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC recognised the valuable book and called the police, the British Embassy and the FBI.
Regarded as one of the most important printed works in the English language, fewer than 250 copies of the collection survive.
They were first printed in 1623, seven years after Shakespeare's death.