Death of dad who had 'fight' with his son was an accident, coroner rules

The death of a man who died following an altercation with his son - who was later aquitted of murdering him - was an accident, a coroner has ruled. Darren McGowan, 51, was taken to Stepping Hill Hospital following an incident at his home in Stockport last year.

His son Joseph McGowan, now 21 but then aged 19, rang 999 in the early hours of April 30, 2023 and told the operator that his dad ‘wasn’t breathing’, before later telling attending police officers: “Me and my dad were arguing and I don’t know what to do. We were fighting and I choked my dad out" Manchester Crown Court heard.

Darren McGowan suffered what was described in court as an "un-survivable brain injury" and was pronounced dead at Stepping Hill on May 3.

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His son Joseph McGowan was charged with his murder, and an alternative count of manslaughter. However he was acquitted of both charges following a week-long trial which concluded in December last year.

An inquest into Mr McGowan's death was held at South Manchester Coroner's Court in Stockport last week, where Senior Coroner Alison Mutch recorded a conclusion of accidental death.

In the Record of Inquest, completed following the hearing on Monday, November 11, Ms Mutch says: "On 3rd May 2023 Darren Peter McGowan died at Stepping Hill Hospital. A post mortem examination found that he had died of the complications of neck compression in the context of physical activity and cocaine abuse."

Darren McGowan was married to Angela McGowan, and they had two sons together, one of which was Joseph, jurors at the trial were told.

The marriage struggled, with the couple separating over short periods at a time. “Most of the time, it seems, he got on well with Joseph McGowan" prosecutor Owen Edwards KC, said.

On April 30 Angela McGowan and three of her colleagues from the Midway pub returned back to the family home on Glebe Street, in Offerton, where they continued drinking, along with Darren McGowan who had been invited to stay over, the court heard. At one stage Joseph McGowan came downstairs to join them, jurors were told.

During the evening one of the revellers was sick and left early before Angela went upstairs and got changed into her dressing gown, Mr Edwards said.

Prosecutors alleged that Darren McGowan went to check on Angela upstairs before stating that it was time for everybody to leave, at which Joseph responded that it ‘wasn’t his house’, before an argument ensued, with one of the remaining group briefly intervening.

The two remaining members of the group then left the house, leaving Joseph and Darren McGowan together, the court heard. This was quarter of an hour before Joseph made the 999 call saying he had "choked out" his dad.

Giving evidence during the trial, Joseph said the pair had briefly fought upstairs at the family home, before he got into a row with his mum downstairs. The court heard Mr McGowan returned downstairs and told his son: "Don't talk to my wife like that."

Joseph told the court: "I told him to f*** off. That was when he rugby tackled me onto the sofa. I grabbed onto the closest thing. I grabbed him in a headlock because he is a larger man than me. I was scared.”

Joseph said his dad then lifted him up and 'smashed him' into the sofa twice, before he collapsed on the living room floor. Describing his relationship with his father, he added: "I loved him. We trained together. If my friends didn't want to go out I would ask my dad. We were just a normal family. We enjoyed spending time together."

After the jurors returned their verdict, Joseph McGowan’s family, who had remained supportive at court throughout, jumped to their feet and applauded.