Hammer attack: victim dies in hospital

John Stevens, 37, of Boxgrove House, Wick, was attacked on a driveway of a house in Beach Road, Littlehampton, at around 5.20pm on May 27, but appeared to have suffered only minor injuries.

On Tuesday morning he collapsed at home and was admitted to Worthing Hospital, but following extensive tests in the hospital's intensive care unit, the decision was taken to switch off his life-support later that afternoon.

Police said they were treating his death as unexplained and not as murder and were awaiting the results of a post mortem examination, which was carried out yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon.

Det Insp Julie Buchan told the Gazette police are investigating the death due to the proximity of the attack and Mr Stevens' collapse at home, but added he had a history of health problems.

She said: "We are investigating this as an unexplained death at this moment in time. It is not suspicious.

"I'm not a medic but there's always a potential for a head injury to have no outward signs.

"But I stress that at this stage I am keeping an open mind about the cause of death."

A man and a woman, named to police by Mr Stevens and both from Littlehampton, were arrested and bailed by police shortly after the initial attack but not charged.