Homecoming soldier dies after club attack

David Grout, 22, had been enjoying a low-key celebration with his parents and looking forward to a reunion with his wife and child when two men confronted him outside the Eston Institute Club in Teesside last Tuesday.

A 19-year-old from the Eston area of Middlesbrough who handed himself in to Cleveland Police was arrested in connection with the incident and has been released on bail.

A Cleveland Police spokesman said the soldier, who served with the 204 Squadron of the Royal Signals and was based at Catterick Garrison, died shortly before lunchtime yesterday. He had been in a critical condition at the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Dave Mead, for Cleveland Police, said: "Our thoughts are with his family, Kerry his wife and Harley his son at this sad time."

Witnesses saw Signalman Grout confronted by two men outside the working men's club, police said. After a brief conversation, one threw a punch at the soldier, who fell to the ground and suffered serious head injuries.

The soldier was taken to hospital where he underwent surgery and was put into an induced coma to stabilise his condition. His family, including his wife Kerry, and 20-month-old son remained by his bedside.

Mr Grout, who joined the Army straight after leaving school, had recently returned from the front line in Helmand province.

A spokesman for 4th Mechanized Brigade, which is based at Catterick but is currently deployed in Helmand, said: "It is with deep regret and great sadness that we heard of the death of Signaller David Grout earlier today. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go to his family, Kerry, his wife, and Harley, his son, at this tragic time.

"It would, however, be inappropriate to comment any further as the death is the subject of a police investigation."

Family members were yesterday too upset to speak about the soldier's death.

His father Colin Grout, 53, spoke last week of the surgeons' battle to save his son.

"When he first went in he was thrashing around and he was sick and he only had a small bleed at first. He was taken up to neurosurgery and that's when he went downhill and they whipped him off to surgery.

"They had to take a big piece of bone out of the left side of his head and took a blood clot out to release the pressure on the brain."