Phillip Oake, of Cherwell Close, was out in the early hours of June 9, 2023, when he was “assaulted and pushed to the ground” outside The Crown public house on Broad Street.
The 54-year-old struck his head on the pavement during the incident, because of which he “sustained a fractured skull and severe intracranial bleeding”, David Donald William Reid, the Senior Coroner for Worcestershire, ruled.
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Mr Reid said: “He was taken by ambulance to Worcestershire Royal Hospital, and then later the same day to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, where he underwent emergency surgery.
“Despite treatment, he failed to recover from his serious head injury, and died in hospital on July 1 2023”, the coroner added.
A medical report concluded Mr Oake, who was born in Crowle, had died from “complications of head injury” and an inquest into his death was opened and adjourned on July 21 2023.
But a full inquest was listed at Stourport Coroners Court for December 9 last year in which Mr Reid concluded “Mr Oake was unlawfully killed”.
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Coroners are prohibited from attributing blame to any individual in their rulings and so the person, or persons, who unlawfully killed the deceased are not named in the coroner’s conclusion.
The term ‘unlawful killing’ can also apply to either the offence of murder or manslaughter, but the coroner is not required to decide between the two in returning his conclusion.
A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: “Officers attended an assault on Broad Street, Worcester in the early hours on Friday 9 June 2023. The victim passed away in hospital the following month on 1 July.
“The incident was thoroughly investigated, and a file of evidence was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). However, it was the decision of the CPS that no one would be charged.
“This was appealed but the original decision was upheld by the appeals and review team.”