Don Mahendra Sunil Hettiarachchi, 67, of Granton Avenue, worked as a patient transport assistant, ferrying people to and from medical appointments.
East London Coroner’s Court heard on Wednesday (July 2) that both the Metropolitan Police Service and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have launched investigations into his death.
But the Met has refused to say what potential offences it is investigating.
Senior east London coroner Graeme Irvine said he understood that on June 10, “in the course of his job, whilst using a tail lift on his vehicle”, Mr Hettiarachchi had fallen and injured his head.
“It would appear that Mr Hettiarachchi immediately was noticed to have loss of consciousness and he was taken by ambulance to the major trauma centre,” he continued.
The HSE said the incident happened in John Drinkwater Road, Bushwood, Waltham Forest.
At the major trauma centre, at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, Mr Hettiarachchi was found to have a “catastrophic head injury”.
He died five days later on June 15.
His cause of death has since been given as “traumatic brain injury”.
“It would appear that both the police carried out a preliminary investigation and the HSE are also investigating this death, as it was an incident occurring due to an accident at work,” Mr Irvine told East London Coroner’s Court.
As it was plainly an unnatural death, said the coroner, he would have to open an inquest, which he listed for February.
But, he said, “because of the involvement of the HSE”, that was only a provisional listing.
It could be delayed and “may be an inquest that is heard before a jury”.
“I will liaise closely with the police and HSE before continuing with this investigation,” the coroner said.
He requested an update within 14 days from the senior investigating officer at the Met.
“I will need to know very, very quickly who is taking primacy for this investigation,” he explained.
“I will also need to understand who Mr Hettiarachchi’s employer was. At the moment, that is not entirely clear.”
The Met Police described him as “an agency driver”.
Once identified, said Mr Irvine, it was likely the employer would be granted “interested person” status, as they would have a stake in the outcome of the investigation.
The legal status – also granted to Mr Hettiarachchi’s family and the Met Police – entitles the parties to legal representation.
It also gives them the right to scrutinise evidence ahead of the final inquest and question any witnesses called to testify.
The HSE and Met Police each said they were working with one another to investigate the case. The Met would not say what potential offences it was investigating.
“Enquiries remain ongoing and no arrests have been made,” a spokesperson said.
