A 20-year-old charged with rape and assault occasioning actual bodily harm has been found dead in his cell just hours after appearing before magistrates.

Mathan Vadivelalagan was arrested and charged by police investigating reports a woman in her twenties was assaulted in parkland near Victoria Road, Colliers Wood on Sunday, June 8.

Mr Vadivelalagan, of Gorringe Park Avenue, Mitcham, was remanded in custody at Wandsworth Prison after appearing at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Thursday, June 12.

He was found unresponsive in his cell at 9.40pm by a member of staff later that day.

Paramedics were called to the prison but he was pronounced dead at 10.49pm.

A spokesman for HMP Wandsworth said: "As with all deaths in custody, the Independent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will conduct an investigation."

Police said they are not treating the death as suspicious.

Mr Vadivelalagan was due to appear before judges at Kingston Crown Court on Thursday, June 26.