A FORMER prisoner who shared a cell with serial killer Harold Shipman could be called on to give evidence as part of an on-going inquiry after he claimed the doctor boasted to him about committing hundreds of murders, reports Beth Broomby.

Jon Harkin, a Samaritan-trained 'listener' who lives at Carnforth, alleges that Shipman confessed to taking 508 lives over 25 years simply because he had the 'power' to do so.

Shipman has never publicly admitted his guilt, given an indication of how many people he killed or offered a motive.

This week a spokesman from the Shipman Inquiry - set up to consider the extent of the Hyde GP's unlawful activities - confirmed they had been in correspondence with Harkin and refused to rule out the possibility that his evidence could be heard by the inquiry.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said the force's investigation could be re-opened in the future but added that Shipman's alleged confession to Harkin was not enough to prove criminal activity "beyond reasonable doubt".

She said police continued to interview Shipman - despite his reluctance to talk - and added that the decision to put the alleged confession to the convicted murderer would be a matter for investigating officers to decide.

Harkin had developed a listener scheme to help reduce the self-harm and suicide rate at Preston Prison, offering support to more than 300 inmates.

When Shipman arrived on remand in Preston Prison in October 1998, Harkin was locked up overnight with the serial killer to ensure the doctor did not commit suicide.

But, tortured by sleepless nights following 12 gruelling 'listener' sessions with the former GP, Harkin decided to break his four-year-old confidence with Shipman to tell how he had described his murders as 'acts of God'.

"I have had to sit through the trial, the appeal and the inquiry knowing the terrible truth of what he told me," said Harkin - who has served more than three years for rape but claims he has been a victim of a miscarriage of justice.

Harkin described Shipman as "intelligent" but " changeable" - angry about being separated from his wife, prone to crying bouts but also "arrogant".

"My time listening to Shipman was horrendous.

I've been physically ill and my memories of being locked in a cell with him have given me many sleepless nights.

I'm just glad he was found guilty and is unlikely to ever be released from jail.

But I believe the families of those people he killed have a right to know what he said to me inside that prison cell."

l Shipman was convicted at Preston Crown Court in January 2000 of the murder of 15 of his patients while he was a GP at Market Street, Hyde, near Manchester, and of one count of forging a will.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The Shipman Inquiry began in 2001.

Dame Janet Smith DBE, a High Court judge, was appointed chairman and public hearings began on June 20, 2001.

In June 2002 Dame Janet concluded that the doctor had unlawfully killed 215 people between 1975 and 1998.

After examining 2,311 witness statements she said: "I regret to say that I can shed very little light on why Shipman killed his patients."