A MURDERER from Huddersfield killed himself early today in an Australian jail.

And detectives believe Simon Rochford took his own life after being named as the prime suspect in a second murder Down Under.

Rochford, 38, who is thought to have flown to Australia from Huddersfield in 1993, was found dead in a cell in Albany Jail, near Perth, Western Australia.

He was serving a 15-year sentence for the murder of his girlfriend in Australia in July 1994.

But yesterday senior prosecutors in Australia revealed that Rochford is the prime suspect in a second high-profile case.

It was also revealed that he was quizzed by British detectives while in jail in Australia about a murder in England.

They flew to Perth to talk to him about the murder of a German tourist in a hotel.

Investigators in Australia claimed a palm print belonging to Rochford was found at the scene of the shocking murder of a jeweller, Pamela Lawrence, who was found bludgeoned to death in her shop in Glyde Street, Perth.

Rochford was found dead at 7.45am this morning by prison officials.

Corrective Services Commissioner Ian Johnson said he could not disclose the cause of Rochford's death at this stage.

Rochford had been interviewed by police on May 11 about the Lawrence murder and had subsequently been placed on suicide watch.

He was taken off suicide watch on Tuesday .

Mr Johnson said Rochford had seen TV reports last night which publicly named him as a suspect.

"I am not aware of a suicide note. We are not going to assume this is a suicide, but there is nothing to indicate that is not the case".

Rochford was jailed in July 1995 for the murder of his girlfriend, Brigitta Dickens.

He battered her to death with a home-made barbell.

The attack took place at a backpackers' hostel in Scarborough, a town near Perth, just seven weeks after the body of Mrs Lawrence was found in her city-centre store.

A man called Andrew Mallard was jailed for the murder of Mrs Lawrence but his conviction was quashed last November by the High Court.

Detectives then carried out a review of the case and used sophisticated new DNA techniques which identified the palm print.

Rochford was born at Huddersfield's Princess Royal Maternity Hospital on December 17, 1967.

His parents, Peter and Jean Rochford, were living in Elland at the time.

His mother now lives in Australia.