Victim fractured his skull in fall from kerb

Accidental death verdict at inquest

A CRUCIAL witness helped end the mystery surrounding the death of an Oldham man.

An inquest into the death of 33-year-old David Allen had been adjourned because Ben Arthurs — who was with him at the time — had failed to attend.

Mr Arthurs, a friend of Mr Allen’s for 10 years, told the reconvened hearing he hadn’t received the letter and had no idea proceedings were happening.

The inquest heard how Mr Allen, of Bateson Way, died after falling in Horsedge Street and fracturing his skull.

In March 2010, he met Mr Arthurs and Ben Heffron at the Centurian Pub in Lord Street.

It was later, when the three were heading to Ben Arthurs’s uncle’s house, that Mr Allen tripped, fell backwards and hit his head.

A pathologist said the injuries could be associated with an accidental fall.

Coroner Simon Nelson asked Mr Arthurs if he had “got his head together with Ben Heffron and concocted a story.”

Mr Arthurs said, “No one laid a finger on him, he slipped on the kerb.”

Mr Allen had three times the drink-drive level of alcohol in his blood at the time of his death.

Greater Manchester Police investigated and laid no charges.

Mr Nelson said: “There was nothing to suggest David had been the subject of an altercation.”

Mr Nelson recorded a verdict of accidental death.