Hertfordshire boy, 14, died after being hit on the head by a hockey stick at practice, inquest hears

A schoolboy died after being hit on the head with a hockey stick before a training session, an inquest has heard.

Luke Hobson, 14, had been practising hitting balls with 20 others at Blueharts Hockey Club in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, on March 28 last year.

But the field’s lights were off and no coaches were there to monitor the boys, Hertfordshire Coroner’s Court was told.

Luke’s parents Helen Moss and Peter Hobson blasted police and the council for their ‘disappointing level of analysis, accuracy and conclusions’.

They said the investigations into their son’s death had left them ‘disappointed and angry’.

The court heard police could not figure out how Luke was injured until another boy came forward.

The child said in a statement, seen by the BBC, he had been ‘trying to hit the ball up into the air’ when he struck the victim.

He continued: ‘I didn’t know Luke was behind me. I ran to get first aid…I didn’t mean to hit anybody. It was an accident and I am very sorry it happened.’

The boy said he had not said anything straight away because he had ‘only later been able to fully remember details’.

An air ambulance rushed Luke to hospital following the incident, but his injuries were ‘unsurvivable’, the court heard.

Dr Curtis Offiah said there were signs of a ‘blunt force traumatic impact’, a ‘skull base fracture’ towards the brain stem and blood in the skull.

Mr Hobson told the court the pain of the loss ‘does not fade’, adding: ‘How can it be possible to have dropped him off for training as usual and three hours later for him to be dead?

‘The vacuum he has left behind is as empty as ever… without Luke it is hard to find meaning in anything.’

The court was told locks have since been installed on the club’s gates and people are banned from playing before authorised sessions. 

A JustGiving page has raised more than £5,000 for East Anglian Air Ambulance in memory of Luke.

The fundraiser says: ‘Luke’s death from a tragic accident, simply doing what he enjoyed doing, has devastated his family, friends and our community. He was such a remarkable boy who touched so many lives.

‘Luke’s enthusiasm for all he did was marvellously infectious. And he did so much – whether he was singing in the choir or playing the drums, playing sport, taking part in outdoor pursuits, or polishing his computer programming skills, always it was with that wonderful cheerful commitment.

‘He was hugely liked, with many good friends. Part of his secret was that he managed to combine seriousness of purpose with tremendous enthusiasm, good cheer and humour.

‘A common theme amongst the many tributes that have been paid to Luke is his sense of fairness and justice: his friends all knew that Luke was there for them. Luke is a much needed reminder that true goodness, integrity, honour and respect live on.

‘On the night Luke died, coaches at the club and the emergency services did an extraordinary job to try and save him.

‘Tragically his injury was not survivable but we want to help the emergency services by donating to the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) which took Luke to Addenbrooke’s Hospital that night.

‘Luke’s Dad, Peter, is a member of Hitchin Running Club and will be competing in the Hitchin 10k on 19 May with the aim to raise as much money as possible for the EAAA and we encourage all Hares and their sponsors to join him in supporting this worthy cause. Please give generously so that their crucial work to help us all can continue.’

The inquest continues.