Pensioner, 68, collapsed and died of heart attack after bust-up with driver who had parked his car on the pavement, inquest hears
- Kenneth Hawker collapsed after ‘serious altercation’ in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
- The 68-year-old told a driver ‘pavements are for walking,’ leading to an argument
- Driver said to have ‘got into Mr Hawker’s face’ during row, in which he collapsed
- Mr Hawker was later found to have cardiac dysrhythmia – an irregular heartbeat
‘Much-loved husband and father’ Kenneth Hawker, 68, collapsed after he was involved in what police describe as a ‘serious altercation’ with a car driver
A pensioner who was out for a lockdown walk died of a heart condition after a bust-up with a driver over a car parked on a pavement, an inquest has heard.
‘Much-loved husband and father’ Kenneth Hawker, 68, collapsed after he was involved in what police describe as a ‘serious altercation’ with a car driver.
The man, in his 50s, was arrested at the scene and released under investigation after the incident in Middle Market Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
He was told two weeks later that he faced no further action after a post-mortem found that Mr Hawker had died from a previously undiagnosed heart condition.
The inquest heard how Mr Hawker and his wife of 40 years, Denise, came across the car on the pavement at the height of lockdown on April 22.
Mrs Hawker said in a statement: ‘Time was irrelevant because of the Covid-lockdown.
‘But sometime around lunch-time we decided to go out for our daily exercise and some shopping.
‘There was a car parked on the pavement with the passenger door open.
‘We walked through the gap and were just past when a woman said, “It would’ve taken two seconds to walk around”.
A man, in his 50s, was arrested at the scene (pictured) and released under investigation after the incident in Middle Market Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. He was told two weeks later that he faced no further action
‘Ken pointed out pavements are for walking on and a man got out of the car and into Ken’s face.’
The hearing at Norfolk Coroner’s Court in Norwich heard how the two men pushed and kicked out at each other in the street.
Mr Hawker fell to the ground at one point as local residents called out from windows for the pair to stop.
The pensioner and his wife then left the scene, before he collapsed again nearby.
An air ambulance was called as paramedics battled in vain to save Mr Hawker.
The post-mortem by a Home Office pathologist found that Mr Hawker had an advanced natural disease in his heart, which made him more vulnerable to cardiac dysrhythmia – an irregular heartbeat
The post-mortem by a Home Office pathologist found that he had an advanced natural disease in his heart, which made him more vulnerable to cardiac dysrhythmia – an irregular heartbeat.
Mr Hawker of Cobbs Place, Great Yarmouth, had no alcohol in his body and had sustained no major injuries in the incident.
Norfolk’s assistant coroner Johanna Thompson recorded a narrative conclusion, saying: ‘Mr Hawker died on April 22 at Middle Market Road, in Great Yarmouth, following an altercation.
‘He had a previously undiagnosed but naturally occurring medical condition.’
Mr Hawker’s family described him after his death as ‘a much-loved husband, father, son and brother.’
They added in a statement: ‘He had many friends, and was a popular member of the local community. His sudden and untimely death has come as a huge shock to us all.’
Detectives confirmed that Mr Hawker’s death was not being treated as suspicious due to the results of the post-mortem.