Ryan Vincent inquest: Security guard thought young dad 'gave up trying' when he stopped moving

A security guard from a North Yorkshire holiday park has told an inquest he detained a young father by sitting on him and believed he had only given up trying to get away when he stopped moving.

Multiple witnesses told the inquest into the death of Ryan Vincent that they heard the 22-year-old say “I can’t breathe” and “turn me over”.

Mr Vincent, from Skelton, was staying at Haven Primrose Valley Holiday Park, near Filey, with his girlfriend and children when he died in May 2017.

Northallerton Coroner’s Court heard on Wednesday (24 January) that two security guards pursued him after seeing a car “screeching” around the park at around 11pm on 22 May. 

One of the guards said they smelled alcohol on Mr Vincent when he got out of his car. They told Coroner Jonathan Leach that he ran off when they informed him they were going to call the police.

The court heard previously from a pathologist who determined she could find no other reason for him to stop breathing other than physical restraint.

Mr Vincent was detained by the security guards that night, and one of the guards told the inquest he sat on his back.

Another said he put his hand on Mr Vincent’s shoulder "in case he was going to jump up and do a runner".

Richard Copnall, representing Mr Vincent's family, questioned why the security guard sitting on his back did not check on his condition when he stopped "wriggling" underneath him.

The security guard responded: "I had no reason to think anything was wrong. I thought he gave up trying and realised he wasn’t going to get away."

The inquest heard that a bystander called the police and when officers arrived 15 minutes later, Mr Vincent was unresponsive.

One of the security guards said: “When police arrived [we] moved away and when they turned the lad over I just seen his face.”

A statement from a paramedic at Yorkshire Ambulance Service read in court today said police officers did basic life-saving skills on Mr Vincent and with treatment from the ambulance team they transported him to Scarborough Hospital with a pulse.

The statement read that his condition deteriorated and he later died in hospital.

In 2018, the Crown Prosecution Service decided there was no criminal case of manslaughter to answer.

The hearing this week is not to apportion blame - but Mr Vincent's partner Chloe Edwards hopes that by establishing the facts of his death, the CPS can be convinced to look again at the case.

The Coroner will deliver his conclusions on Friday 26 January.

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