Prison managers were warned a violent inmate had weapons and large 'shanks' were being created in the workshop before a fatal stabbing - but did not carry out cell searches.
Keir Michael plunged a metal spike into the chest of fellow prisoner Darren Ashcroft, 35, in a cell on Valentines Green wing, at HMP Altcourse, on November 14, 2014.
This week an inquest has been ongoing into Mr Ashcroft's death, which heard of alleged bullying, violence and the availability of dangerous weapons at the Fazakerley prison.
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Intelligence reports suggested that 41-year-old Michael had bladed weapons "stashed around the wing", that prisoners were using fearsome makeshift shanks to bully younger inmates and that Michael had threatened to take his frustrations out on staff or inmates.
Today the inquest jury, sitting at Gerard Majella Courthouse in Kirkdale, heard how two requests for cell and lockdown searches made before Mr Ashcroft's death had not been actioned.
Stephen Skitt told the jury he had been seconded from HMP Birmingham after the stabbing to drive improvements.
In a statement read to the court, he said how an intelligence report submitted on November 5, 2014, was picked up by a security analyst the following day, who recommended cell searches.
Despite being requested, the searches had not been carried out before November 14.
A second report, submitted on November 13, described how Michael had weapons stashed around the wing and had "wounded" fellow inmates.
A security analyst examined the report at 9.30am the following day and recommended a cell search on Michael and suggested the relevant manager should authorise a full lockdown search of the wing.
However Mr Skitt said the next entry on the log was not until November 18, which referenced Michael being searched as part of the investigation into Mr Ashcroft's death.
The jury also heard from a prison staff member, who described how he was approached by a prison orderly on November 4 with concerning information.
Assistant coroner Joseph Hart, questioning him, said: "[The orderly] told you he had some information regarding Valentines Green wing; that about six men had shanks, was the phrase he used. What is your understanding of that word?"
He replied: "Yes, weapons made up from anything the prisoners can get their hands on to make up a weapon."
Coroner Hart said: "[The orderly] said these weapons were being used to aid bullying other inmates to bring in phones and drugs.
"In the course of that conversation, [the orderly] said there were about 20 shanks on the wing, they were quite serious and were being hidden in mattresses."
The staff member confirmed he had submitted an intelligence report about the conversation, and then passed on further information suggesting that the weapons had been manufactured in the prison workshop and were being hidden in three specific cells.
However he said as a "none operational" member of staff he would not have been told whether the information was acted on and had no authority to get involved in searches or investigations.
The jury also heard from a prison officer who was part of a team responsible for helping prisoners access support.
He described how he spoke to Michael on several occasions between his arrival in Altcourse in September 2014 and the stabbing.
He said Michael was "fixated" on the removal of his Subutex prescription, a drug used to treat addiction to heroin or other opiates, by staff at his previous prison, HMP Parc in Wales.
Mr Hart said: "You met again on September 9, Mr Michael indicated that while he had been patient so far, that might change and a member of staff or another prisoner would get hurt as a result if nothing happened, and he had nothing to lose?"
The officer replied: "I do recall him saying that yes. He felt like there was a wrongdoing, and he did obviously make a statement that he had nothing to lose."
The jury heard the officer submitted an intelligence report to the prison's security team on that date as he was concerned about the potential for violence, and after another meeting where Michael was making threats.
A statement was also read from a then-prisoner, who although was not an inmate on Valentine Greens wing said he was concerned about the level of violence and drug abuse in the prison.
In the statement, read to the jury by Coroner Hart, he said: "In September 2014 the prison governor [Bob McCombe] was on a visit with other people.
"I approached Bob McCombe and I told him my concerns about violence and drugs. He told me he was not aware these problems and did not seem bothered.
"Things did not seem to change after our conversation."
The inquest is expected to last into next week.
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