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Harrow schoolboy died from single punch after telling club promoter: 'You'll work for me one day'

Witnesses said Mr Lloyd and his friend tried to walk away without confrontation

Will Worley
Wednesday 20 April 2016 10:22 BST
A coroner ruled that Archie Lloyd has been unlawfully killed
A coroner ruled that Archie Lloyd has been unlawfully killed (Family handout/PA)

A Harrow schoolboy died when he was punched by an alleged attacker after he shouted "one day you'll work for me" at him, an inquest has heard.

Archie Lloyd, 18, was celebrating the end of his A-Levels in Malia when he became involved in an altercation and was struck by Sebastian Trabucatti, another Briton who was working on the Greek island as a club promoter.

The coroner has recorded a verdict of unlawful killing.

Witnesses said 18-year-old Mr Lloyd and best friend Andy Hutchinson "didn't want trouble" and tried to walk away, but were attacked by Sebastian Trabucatti who was accompanied by two women on mopeds.

Mr Trabucatti remains on bail from the Greek authorities, having been charged with manslaughter after Mr Lloyd fell and hit his head after being punched and later died in his sleep.

Mr Hutchinson wept as he gave evidence and admitted the groups traded taunts but insisted there was no violence until Mr Trabucatti stopped his vehicle and began pushing the pair.

"The man pushed me. I lost my balance and swayed. I wasn't aware of Archie doing or saying anything,” Mr Hutchinson said, The Sun reported. “All this was over in 10 seconds.”

"They started to leave and I thought that was the end of it. Archie then shouted 'one day you'll work for me'.

"In a split second I saw one of the women raise her hands and point to Archie, she said: 'You deserved that.'

"Archie was on the pavement with his prone body partly laid on the road. The man and the two women rode off."

Coroner Grahame Short, recording the verdict in Winchester, said: "Based on the evidence, I am sure that Mr Lloyd was struck in the face and I find it proven beyond all reasonable doubt that this was a deliberate and intentional act.

"I don't find there was any intention to cause death. But it was the inadvertent consequences that Mr Lloyd was knocked backwards and struck the back of his head, and death resulted.

"In English law, that results in involuntary manslaughter. It follows that I conclude that this was a death due to unlawful killing."

Mr Trabucatti refused to attend the inquest, and said he was not to blame for the death. In his statements to Greek police, Mr Trabucatti said Mr Lloyd came at him "with his fists raised".

However, the coroner said this was unlikely given other witness statements - including from one of the moped riders - that said Mr Lloyd and his friend tried to walk away without confrontation.

Mr Trabucatti said he went to check on Mr Lloyd after he was felled and was content he was okay.

He said: "I'm sorry about what happened to the young man but do not consider myself responsible for his death."

The court heard Mr Trabucatti has been charged with manslaughter in Greece but has yet to enter a plea. A trial would likely be held next year.

In a statement, Mr Lloyd’s family said: "Archie was ready to take on the world, realising his dreams to study at university and travel when he tragically died.

"He had his whole life ahead of him when, on a harmless night out, everything went tragically wrong and so many lives have been shattered as a result.”

Press Association contributed to this report.

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