Dr Paul Morris, 46, died on 20 December after being found unconscious in his cell at Colchester military prison in Essex.

He was arrested in Cyprus in November, 17 years after he deserted the Army after being accused of molesting children while running a boys' football team in the early 1980s.

Morris, who had spent many of his years on the run worked in Palestinian refugee camps in the Lebanon, was tracked down to Cyprus. He was living with a local woman and two children they had adopted from the camps.

Returned from Cyprus

He was deported from Cyprus following an application by the Military Police.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "We can confirm an officer who was being held under house arrest was found unconscious in his cell and pronounced dead on 20 December.

"A thorough investigation is being held by the special investigation branch of The Royal Military Police and it would therefore be inappropriate to comment."

He declined to be drawn on the circumstances surrounding Dr Morris's death.

An Essex Police spokesman said the matter would be dealt with by the Military Police and they would only call on the civilian police if foul play was suspected.

He said the Military Police would be conducting an investigation on behalf of the coroner.