Inquest formally opened into death of ‘amazing’ Sheffield dad Ricky Collins, 31

Father-of-one Mr Collins, of Park Grange Road, Sheffield, died on Tuesday, March 30 this year after a disturbance at a property on Westthorpe Road in Killamarsh.

At the opening of the inquest into Mr Collins’ death at Derbyshire Coroners’ Court today, Peter Nieto, area coroner for Derby and Derbyshire, gave more details of the circumstances of his death.

Mr Nieto said police were called to reports of a disturbance at the property at 9.54pm.

On arrival, the court heard officers found a white van outside the house and a trail of blood leading to the Nag’s Head pub car park nearby.

There, they found Mr Collins with what appeared to be stab wounds to his right side.

He was then taken by ambulance to Northern General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Seven people have since been arrested in connection with Mr Collins’ death, with one – 24-year-old Bradley Ward, from Woodthorpe – charged with his murder.

Two men, aged 43 and 44, were also charged with assisting an offender while a 29-year-old woman and a 16-year-old boy, who were also arrested as part of the murder probe, have been bailed pending further enquiries.

Two more arrests were made last week, with a 70-year-old woman and a 15-year-old girl, both from Sheffield, were held on suspicion of assisting an offender.

They have been released under investigation.

Mr Nieto formally adjourned the inquest until June 17 when a review will be held.

He added it was ‘probable’ that the conclusion of the inquest would be postponed pending the outcome of criminal proceedings.

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