Wolverhampton man died after being punched and suffering head injury, inquest told
A man who died following an altercation on a Wolverhampton street was found to have died of a head injury following a punch to the head.
A man died in Wolverhampton after being punched in the head and suffering a injury, an inquest heard.
Nicholas Cope was found in cardiac arrest on Newhampton Road East in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton at around 6pm on November 8, 2025 and died shortly after.
An inquest was held into his death at Black Country Magistrates Court in Oldbury today (April 30).
Senior Coroner Zafar Siddique said that Alex Turner, who had been arrested and charged with Mr Cope’s murder, but then subsequently cleared of both murder and manslaughter after the prosecution offered no evidence.
He had been summoned to give evidence, but had not responded to the summons.
Mr Cope’s sister Rebecca Collins was in attendance at the inquest along with members of West Midlands Police. She said that she had been estranged from her brother for years and claimed he also had no contact with the family and had no formal address.
On the night of his death, she had been told that he had been involved in a fight and had died. She was asked to confirm his identity.
Detective Inspector Nigel Box, who led the investigation, said Mr Cope had been found unconscious and not breathing after being found on the ground and, despite the best efforts of ambulance staff, he was declared deceased at the scene.
He also said that statements at the scene had detailed how Alex Turner had received a complaint from another person about Mr Cope’s behaviour and gone to confront him, also detailing the defence statement given by Mr Turner, which said that he had punched Mr Cope in self-defence.