Retired policeman died after altercation with joggers, inquest hears
A retired police officer died of a heart attack following an altercation with two joggers, an inquest heard this week.
Donald Batt, 76, of Smugglers Way, Fairlight, remonstrated with Cara Pain and her boyfriend Sam Richardson outside his home because he thought they were littering.
A heated argument then ensued and the former Fairlight bobby suffered a heart attack 10 minutes later.
The pensioner was with his wife Betty in their car on the way out to walk their three dogs when the incident happened on November 13 last year.
At the inquest on Wednesday, Mrs Batt said her husband saw Miss Pain and Mr Richardson by their house as they were backing out of their driveway.
She said: "Donald asked me to stop the car and got out. He thought the two were littering. Donald was that sort of policeman who would investigate anything. He said to the two young people, 'I hope you are going to pick that up'.
"The swearing then started and I asked Donald to get back in the car and leave them. But he started getting angry. One of the two said she was going to get her father to speak to him."
Fighting back tears, Mrs Batt said the next thing she remembered was her husband falling backwards on to the pavement.
Later as the couple were in the car Mr Batt began to feel unwell and his wife flagged down a passing ambulance.
Paramedics tried to revive him but Mr Batt later died at the Conquest Hospital.
Miss Pain, 22, and a fitness instructor at Freedom Leisure at Helenswood, said Mr Batt got out of his car and started shouting at her and Mr Richardson after finding the pair's bottle of Lucozade on the ground.
She said: "He thought we were littering but we were not as we were training. I asked him to leave us alone but he would not listen. I asked his wife to take him away because he was embarrassing himself."
Miss Pain said Mr Batt had his face up close to her.
Mr Richardson, a lifeguard, said Mr Batt walked up close to him, egging him on to push him.
He told the inquest: "Mr Batt swore at me and was getting in Cara's so I put my hand on his right shoulder from behind. He shoved me off before stepping back and falling on the kerb."
Mr Richardson said Mr Batt then got into his car 'smiling and laughing'.
Mrs Batt disputed the pair's evidence and branded the inquest hearing a 'joke'.
The inquest heard the retired bobby had a history of extensive heart disease.
Dr Simon Poole, pathologist, said the altercation was a 'contributory' factor which led to the pensioner's heart attack.
Mr Batt had a heart attack in 1992 and underwent quadruple heart bypass surgery in 1993.
His wife said her late husband got 'very stressed' a lot.
"With his heart problem it was like living with a time bomb," she added.
Coroner Alan Craze said: "There was clearly a very unpleasant and upsetting incident that took place between the two parties.
"It was enough of an upset for Mr Batt to bring about his heart attack. But what caused it was the serious degree of heart disease he had."
He recorded a verdict of death from natural causes.
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Monday 28 May 2012
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