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A young dad who was restrained on the ground by a security guard while on holiday at a seaside caravan park was unlawfully killed, a coroner ruled today,
Ryan Vincent died on the first night of a family holiday at Haven Primrose Valley holiday park near Filey, North Yorkshire, in 2017, after being detained by two security staff in what his loved ones say was a case of mistaken identity.
Horrified bystanders heard him pleading “please mate, I can’t breathe” moments before he suffered a heart attack.
Northallerton Coroners Court heard that security guard Tony Walpole held father of one Mr Vincent face down on the ground for 16 minutes.
He suffered a cardiac arrest and died later in hospital.
Father-of-one Ryan Vincent died on after being detained at a holiday park by two security staff in what his loved ones say was a case of mistaken identity
The court heard how Mr Walpole and a colleague had been tracking a speeding car being driven around the park on the night of the incident.
They eventually found Mr Vincent in his car, although his family have always maintained he was a victim of mistaken identity, was not drunk and had not been driving dangerously.
It was said that Mr Walpole then took Mr Vincent’s car keys from him and told him he was going to call the police.
When Mr Vincent fled, Mr Walpole followed him and tackled him to the ground, where he held him face down, the inquest heard.
The inquest heard that Mr Vincent, from Skelton, had taken his family to the caravan park for a holiday in May that year.
Eye witness Anne Marie Nicholas who told the court she saw a man lying on his back being restrained.
She could see him wriggling and heard him say “please mate, I can’t breathe”.
She said that when police arrived the man on the floor was no longer moving.
The hearing was also told Mr Vincent was heard to say “turn me over, I can’t breathe”.
Coroner Jonathan Leach said he was satisfied the relevant criteria of gross negligent manslaughter had been met.
Mr Vincent, from Skelton, had taken his family to Haven’s Primrose Valley holiday park in May 2017
While the exact length of time of the restraint could not be established, the coroner said it was at least 11 minutes, but more probably 16 minutes.
At the time, the Crown Prosecution Service ruled out a manslaughter charge.
But Mr Vincent’s partner Chloe Edwards, 33, hopes the verdict will persuade Crown lawyers to reopen the case.
Speaking after the hearing, she said: “Ryan was love of my life and the father of my son, who was only four months old at the time Ryan was taken from us in such a horrible way.
“It was the first day of our family holiday and it was also my birthday.
“Words can’t express the sorrow and deep trauma this has caused us.”
