A YOUNG Bournemouth man died after a single punch thrown by a jealous man who accused him of "chatting up" his girlfriend, it was claimed at an inquest.

Hadyn Matthews, 28, had just left his local pub when Toby Culton, whose girlfriend was a barmaid, approached him and started shouting, the Bournemouth inquest was told.

He accused Mr Matthews of talking to his girlfriend earlier that night and, after an altercation, allegedly struck him in the face.

The coroner was told that Mr Matthews, a roofer from Beverley Gardens, Ensbury Park, fell to the ground and hit his head on the pavement, which knocked him unconscious.

Mr Culton, also 28, ran off and got into a BMW car and left the scene outside the Pines pub in Winton in March this year, it was said.

The inquest, at the town hall, was heard in front of a jury who were told that Mr Matthews regained consciousness a few minutes later and refused medical treatment. He was taken home by a friend.

By the next morning his condition had deteriorated and he was rushed to Poole Hospital. He died two days later of a result of head injuries.

The barmaid, Nadia Bevis, told the inquest: "I went out to the back of the pub and at some stage Toby was waiting outside for me.

"I didn't get the impression that he had seen me talking to Hadyn but during the evening the back door had been open and maybe he had got funny because he had seen me chatting to him."

Mr Matthews' friend, Jonathan Leah told the inquest: "A man was walking towards Hadyn and they started having a conversation.

"The next thing, this man struck Hadyn with his fist and he dropped to the floor."

Mr Leah said his friend refused help from paramedics when he came round because he thought he was fine.

Another witness, taxi driver Andy Jones, added: "I could see his eyes went back and he then went to the floor and hit his head on the pavement.

"The other chap had been in his face and was pointing at him. He was the aggressive one."

The inquest continues.

First published: Oct 13