Well, Make Up Your Minds!

Which is it? 'Gentle giant' or violent aggressive drunk?

Yesterday afternoon the inquest heard from Mr Kentish's fiancee, Kerry Jay, who said she had spoken to him several times on the phone during that fateful day.

He had called her about the meal he was preparing for his dad, then about holiday plans they were making, and later to say he was annoyed with his father for something he had said, said Ms Jay. At about 10.30pm that night, she said, he called her and said he intended to drive home instead of spending the night at his father's as planned.

"I told him not to," she said. "He did sound quite drunk. He was still feeling angry about what his dad had said.

"I told him to turn round and go back because his parents would wonder where he was.

"The phone went off. I was a bit worried because he had sounded frustrated and angry and annoyed about the comments his father had made earlier."

We never find out what the father said. Pity.

At the time of Mr Kentish's death he was described as 'beloved fiancé of Kerry, devoted father of Jodie, Stuart, Vincent, Jesse, Macy and Deede, much loved son of Anne and brother of Julie and Michael'.

No mention of dear old dad...? Lovely family...

He also insulted two women, calling them 'boring lesbians' when they refused to let him buy them a drink, the Gloucester inquest was told.During his time in the New Inn at Shortstanding his behaviour was 'unpredictable' and people sighed with relief when he left, jurors heard.

He had coronary artery disease and was obese, weighing nearly 17.5 stones, the inquest was told.

It should really be a verdict of 'death by stupidity and lack of self-control', shouldn't it? But you won't be surprised to find it wasn't:

A "failure of care" led to the death of plastering contractor Mark Kentish when he was tackled and restrained by a security guard and caretaker at a Wye Valley business park two years ago, an inquest jury concluded today.

Jurors said the restraint used by the two park staff was 'inappropriate in both method and duration'.

I wonder how much restraint would be deemed inappropriate if  this 'gentle giant' was harassing a member of the jury or trying to tear down their garden fence while shouting obscenities?

After receiving the jury's conclusion, the assistant Gloucestershire Coroner Caroline Saunders made recommendations under Section 28 of the Coroners Regulations in a bid to prevent a similar tragedy happening in future.

She said she would write to the SIA (Security Industry Authority) to ask why there is no programme of refresher training or education as to the risks of restraint and positional asphyxia.

Maybe there should instead be a programme of refresher training for violent obese drug-taking drunks on the danger of being killed if they start throwing their weight around?