Prisoner awarded damages after sleeping on mouldy mattress

An inmate in America has been awarded $295,000 (£159,000) after he was forced to sleep on a mouldy mattress.

Reggie Townsend, 29, a prisoner at New Lisbon in Wisconsin, slept in a cell containing a sink, a toilet, a shower and a single mattress that became "wet, mouldy and foul-smelling" as the only place it would fit was the floor near the shower.

He was awarded damages against a correctional officer in the prison who the jury said knew of the situation yet did nothing to correct it.

Madison attorney David Harth, who represented Townsend, said: "It wasn't a one-off thing. It was what happened during a 60-day stay in segregation at New Lisbon."

People who may own a Tempur mattress and want to keep it in good condition should turn it regularly and leave the covers back in the morning to allow moisture to escape, the Sleep Council advises.

Classic Bed Company is the UK's premier bed store for ultimate comfort and luxury offering Tempur, Vi Spring, Willis Gambier, French sleigh beds and contemporary beds online