A man who was fatally injured in an assault by his girlfriend’s ex-husband died after being sent home from hospital, an inquest has heard. The Liverpool Echo has reported that 35-year-old Matthew Charnock died at Whiston Hospital in the Merseyside area three days after he was struck over the head with a wheel brace by Steven Cotterill in 2016.
Cotterill had come home early from work and found Mr Charnock visiting his former partner Natasha. Mr Charnock was rushed to Whiston Hospital following the vicious assault. The inquest heard that despite appearing dazed and bleeding heavily, Mr Charnock was sent home after two nurses wrongly recorded him as being alert and only slightly confused.
His parents, Jean and Terry, described their son as “a cheeky chappy who loved a prank”. Mr Charnock was found unresponsive the following day and was taken back to the hospital. It was previously reported that Mr Charnock, whose skull was fractured in the attack, died three days later having suffered complications due to sepsis. Cotterill, who claimed he acted in self-defence, was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter after a three-week trial. He was sentenced to seven years for manslaughter following the attack on March 13, 2016.
For the last eight years, Mr Charnock’s parents have been pushing for the failings at the hospital to be recognised. At an inquest held at Cheshire Coroners’ Court, senior coroner Jacqueline Devonish ruled that Mr Charnock’s death was contributed to by the neglect of triage nurse Stephanie Keelan and nurse practitioner Paul O’Brien.
In a record of inquest, Ms Devonish stated the events that led to Mr Charnock’s death, highlighting the inadequacies in the care provided by the hospital staff. Despite the nurses not facing criminal charges, the inquest brought to light the negligence that contributed to the tragic outcome.
Mr Charnock’s parents, of Sale in Greater Manchester, hope for more accountability in such cases in the future. They have been pressing for changes and improvements in the healthcare system to prevent similar incidents from happening again. The family’s persistence and dedication led to a thorough investigation and ultimately the acknowledgment of neglect in Mr Charnock’s case.
The tragic incident serves as a reminder of the importance of proper medical care and the need for accountability in cases of negligence. Following the inquest, the Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust expressed their condolences to the family and apologised for the failings in Mr Charnock’s care. Lessons have been learned, and steps have been taken to ensure such incidents are not repeated in the future. The Charnock family’s pursuit of justice has shed light on the gaps in the healthcare system and brought about a sense of closure in their fight for accountability.