Bexhill man died a day after falling outside Tesco

A man from Bexhill died in hospital a day after falling outside Tesco, an inquest has heard.
John Kielty was taken to Conquest Hospital a day after falling outside TescoJohn Kielty was taken to Conquest Hospital a day after falling outside Tesco
John Kielty was taken to Conquest Hospital a day after falling outside Tesco

John Kielty, 83, had just finished shopping with his wife Valerie on July 17, 2019, when he fell while walking back to the bus stop.

An inquest into his death, held in Hastings on Tuesday (October 8), heard Mr Kielty, of Brookfield Road, Bexhill, suffered an acute subdural haematoma and died at Conquest Hospital the following day.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In a written statement read to the court, Valerie said she and her husband were walking to bus stop after completing their shopping in Tesco when she heard somebody ‘shout out’.

She turned around to find Mr Kielty lying on the floor ‘fully conscious’.

Valerie said an off-duty paramedic – who identified herself as Amy – came forward and helped Mr Kielty – who had a wound to his face – up off the floor and onto a seat in the bus stop.

Amy called for an ambulance but was told they were ‘backed up’ and instead offered to give Mr Kielty and Valerie a lift to the hospital.

However, Mr Kielty said he would rather be dropped home.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

At home, Valerie said she made her husband two cups of tea and a sandwich before he went to sleep.

On the advice of Amy, Valerie said she checked on her husband every couple of hours but by 6am the following day (July 18) she said she was aware Mr Kielty was ‘breathing in a laboured way’.

She called for an ambulance and crews arrived within 15 minutes, before taking Mr Kielty to hospital.

Valerie said her husband was taken for a scan where it was discovered that Mr Kielty had suffered a ‘massive bleed on the brain’.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She said a doctor came to speak to her to inform her that her husband ‘would pass away’.

Senior coroner for East Sussex Alan Craze, returning a conclusion of accidental death, told the inquest it was unlikely anything could have been done to treat Mr Kielty even if he had gone to hospital on the day of his fall.