Argument over football ended with death of disabled teenager

David Cox, 18, who had autism, dyspraxia and a mental age of eight, was felled with a single blow after a group of boys would not let him join in, an inquest heard.

He fell face-first on to the pavement and then fell back, hitting his head, when he tried to get up. He died later in hospital from head injuries.

His family had moved to the Bessacarr area of Doncaster from Leicester a year previously to escape David being bullied.

Gazmir Hoxha, who was working in a Bessacarr pizza shop, said he saw five lads playing football outside and David, who was with his sister’s boyfriend, had asked to join in.

An argument broke out and he heard raised voices and swearing.

“The boys were playing with a football and David wanted a kickabout,” he said. “When he said he wanted the ball they kept it.”

As the row intensified Mr Hoxha asked all the boys to leave. “David was just shouting and going to them. It was just verbal. He went up and said ‘just pass me the ball’.”

In his frustration when nobody would pass it to him, David began throwing air punches and moved towards the group.

“I think he wanted to scare them,” Mr Hoxha said. “I didn’t think he wanted to hit them.” As he turned his back he heard the nearest of the boys, Carl Reade, shout that David had hit him.

He tried to separate the pair but David was then punched by Carl.

Mr Hoxha said: “David didn’t go to the floor straight away. He was still wanting to hit him again then he just fell to the floor after 20 or 30 seconds.

“He fell flat on the floor. It was a nasty fall. His face was towards the concrete. Then he got up again only this time hew fell on the back of his head and was unconscious.”

He told Doncaster coroner Nicola Mundy: “It was just one punch from Carl.”

Pizza shop customer Kirstie Allen said: “They were just ragging each other about. It was like David was a rugby ball in between it all.”

She saw David and Carl “square up” and then Carl raised his fist as she looked away. “The next thing I heard David’s head hit the concrete.”

The inquest opening in October last year was adjourned after the coroner asked Crown Prosecution Service lawyers to reconsider their decision not to prosecute four men arrested over David’s death.

After deliberations, the CPS declined to investigate the matter further and it was sent back to the coroner to conclude the inquest.

Pathologist Dr Philip Lumb told the opening of the inquest the teenager died from bleeding at the base of the brain likely to have been caused by a punch to the jaw.

The hearing continues.