7:30am Thursday 2nd September 2010
A police officer died after falling down a flight of stairs in a central London bar during a night out with friends, an inquest has heard.
Richard Oxer, of Nash Close, Sutton, had visited several bars in Clapham on June 21 with colleagues before the tragic accident at O'Neills, in Wardour Street.
The 31-year-old, whose partner is expecting their first child, had served as a police officer for six years and joined the force's Tactical Support Group.
The avid Tottenham Hotspurs fan played for two football teams, AFC Old Bank and Kingston Police FC.
Mr Oxer was also a dog-lover and had three Lurchers.
The football fanatic had drunk at least seven pints of lager at The Sun and Bicycle and Bird public houses, in Clapham, before taking a taxi to central London.
Having ordered another round of drinks the group, who were described a “half-cut”, went up to the roof terrace where they could smoke.
It was on the way back downstairs that Mr Oxer fell and hit his head “extremely hard”, according to witnesses.
Colleague David Kenny, a fellow police officer, said: “I was walking down the stairs when I saw Richard falling. His hands were not out in front of him as you would expect and his head hit the floor.
“There was a pool of blood near his head and he seemed to have a leg injury as well.
Mr Oxer was found a Glasgow Coma Score of four – a method of determining how unconscious someone is. A score of three or less generally means the victim is brain-dead He was taken to the National Hospital of Neuro-surgery but died six days later on June 27.
Westminster Council conducted a full Health and Safety inspection days after the incident but it concluded O'Neills' facilities were excellent.
Coroner Dr Shirley Radcliffe, who recorded a verdict of accidental death, said: “Mr Oxer went out with friends and tragically fell. He suffered a significant injury on both sides of his brain.
“ I record a verdict of accidental death.”
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