Sheffield boxer staggered for quarter of a mile after being stabbed in the heart

Kavan Brissett, aged 21, was knifed during a ‘disturbance’ in Grammar Street car park, Upperthorpe, on August 14, 2018.

Senior Coroner Christopher Dorries heard he then managed to walk a quarter of a mile before collapsing in Langsett Walk, where he was found by a Good Samaritan.

The inquest at Sheffield Coroner's Court heard he was stabbed with a knife that ‘would have been no more than a few centimetres long’ and a post-mortem examination found that it punctured a main coronary artery, which supplies blood to the heart.

Det Con Nina Frost, of South Yorkshire Police’s major crime unit, told the inquest that emergency services were called at around 6.45pm on August 14.

Reading her statement to the court, Mr Dorries said: “He was treated at the scene for more than an hour before being transported to hospital. They did, in effect, do open heart surgery to try and save him.”

Mr Brissett was placed in a coma but never actually regained consciouness and was pronounced dead on Aughust 18, he added.

Det Con Frost said: “We know that Kavan was in the cul-de-sac where Grammar Street car park is, he meets another individual and it looks like there is a disturbance that takes place and it's believed at this point that Kavan receives a stab wound.”

Det Con Frost said police had still not recovered the knife or Mr Brissett’s mobile phone and added they still didn't know who took the knife to the scene.

Addressing Mr Brissett’s mum Emma Hamilton and recording a conclusion of unlawful killing, Mr Dorries said: “It’s beyond reasonable doubt, in my view, that your son has been killed by sombody else’s unlawful act.

“You might well use the word murder but I am not allowed to us ethat word in court.

“I am sorry that's the case and I am sorry that you have to live through that and please accept my condolences.”

He added: “The only thing I am going to say for the purposes of who is responsible for this death is that things just do not gt forgetten. We all see in our newspapers pepople being arreted for murders 25 to 30 years ago.

“I hope it will be nothing like that but in 25 to 30 years time this will still be live with the police but in the meantime we have to wait.”

INQUEST HELD AS DETECTIVES CONTINUE TO HUNT KILLER

Senior Coroner Christopher Dorries said he had taken the unusual step to conclude the inquest despite the ongoing investigation as no-one had been charged in the case.

Addressing Mr Brissett's family, Mr Dorries said: “Normally where somebody has died in circumstances where a murder chare might well follow, a coroner would never hold an inquest.

“The court proceedings might usually take six, nine or 12 months but in the case, of course, nobody has been charged in relation to this death.

“I don’t think it’s really to yours or anyone’s advantage that we let the inquest drift along without anyone doing anything.

“The advantage to you is that you will be able to get a proper death certificate for Kavan.”

Detectives are continuing to hunt Ahmed Farrah, aged 29, who is also known as Reggie, in connection to the murder but have so far failed to locate him.

Mr Dorries said: “The very last thing that I want to do and the very last thing that you want me to do is start saying things that would intefere with your son’s and grandson’s death.”

Speaking after the hearing, Mr Brissett’s family asked for privacy to ‘process the information in a respectful manner’.

In a statement, the family added: “We hope sometime soon, we will be able to see some justice for Kavan. At present, we have not been afforded this small chance at some sort of respite from the continued heartache and sadness. Still, we would ask that anyone with information, to please understand that the investigation is not over. ”

Anyone with any information should call 101 quoting incident number 827 of August 14 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.