Teenagers stay silent on father punched to death

Three teenagers yesterday refused to answer questions at the inquest into the death of a man who confronted a gang of yobs outside his home.

Father-of-two Alan Toogood died after suffering a blow to the neck in a scuffle with four youths who had started a fire outside his flat.

The 50-year-old was said to be "at the end of his tether" after weeks of persistent late-night noise and drug-taking on his estate.

The Crown Prosecution Service has not charged anyone in connection with Mr Toogood's death last September because of a lack of evidence.

At the inquest into his death yesterday, however, three boys were called to answer questions.

The teenagers - 19-year-old Levi Kennett and two aged 15 and 16 who cannot be named for legal reasons - attended Wells Coroner's Court but refused to be questioned, invoking their right not to implicate themselves in a crime.

The three, plus a 16-year-old girl, were originally arrested on suspicion of murder but were freed without charge.

Mr Toogood was returning from his local pub when the fight broke out with youngsters who were sitting on a bench near his Yeovil home.

Neighbours said the divorcee, who drove an ice-cream van, had become increasingly frustrated by yobs riding scooters and playing loud music during all-night parties near the flats.

Mr Toogood's brother Robert told the hearing: "He had only been living there a couple of months but said he was annoyed at all the loud music that was going on outside. He had complained to the authorities."

Neighbour Steve Ackland told how he watched from his window as the youths started the fire on the night of Mr Toogood's death.

He said: "I thought it best to let the police know about the fire. I didn't know the people involved but later I saw a man being pushed over."

Mr Toogood, who had two daughters, aged 27 and 16, was dead on arrival at hospital.

His partner at the time, Lorraine Watson, said her life "fell apart" on the night she found out about his death.

Prior to the attack, Mr Toogood had been in several confrontations with members of teenage gangs in the local White Horse pub.

The landlord told the court that Mr Toogood was reaching "the end of his tether" with the youths.

Mr Toogood, who had been due to visit his eldest daughter, Yvonne, in South Wales on the day after his death, was described as a loving father and friend.

His brother said: "He would do anything to help anyone."

Pathologist Dr Hugh White said Mr Toogood, who was one-and-a-half times over the drink-drive limit, would "probably have survived" had he not been drinking.

The sudden blow resulted in "hyper-extension" in his neck, causing haemorrhaging to his brain. Dr White said: "This type of movement does not usually happen to someone who had not been drinking.

"Sometimes people do not see the punch coming when they have been drinking.

"The head seems to move much more freely and that's proved critical to his injuries."

The youths' refusal to answer questions bears echoes of the Stephen Lawrence case.

In February 1997 the Daily Mail took the unprecedented step of naming five men as his murderers. None had been convicted but police who investigated Stephen's stabbing were convinced they were responsible.

Days before publication of the historic front page, the five had refused to answer questions at the inquest, citing their right not to say anything which might incriminate them.