Tony Edwards

Tony Edwards died in hospital a month after saying he had been beaten up by French fishermen in Newlyn in November 1996.

An open verdict was returned.

Tony Edwards had been a retired Cornish publican.

He told several people that he had been beaten up by members of a Breton trawler crew in Newlyn in November 1996.

However, at his inquest it was heard that there was insufficient evidence to bring in a verdict of unlawful killing.

The Coroner said that it was probable that a known crewman from the vessel Martolod Breiz, out of Duoarnez, came across Tony Edwards and accosted him in 'drunken horseplay' and overdid it.

Tony Edwards died from a brain injury caused when the back of his head hit the ground. He had also had a black eye. It was heard that he could have received his head injury by falling backwards in a drunken state, or that he might have fallen after being punched in the face.

The French crewman said that he might have punched Tony Edwards, but that he couldn't remember. He said that he had gone ashore drinking with two other crewmen in Newlyn. He added that he had come to blows since over the matter with one of the other crewmen who he said might have born him a grudge for hitting an elderly person. The third man said that when he and the other crewman came across Tony Edwards, that he was already on the ground with his face covered in blood.

It was further noted that the third crewman was lost from the trawler three months later and a French investigation found that he had committed suicide because of depression over marital problems.

Following the inquest the police sent the Cooner's findings to the French authorities, but it was not known whether they had decided to prosecute any of the crew.

Tony Edwards's daughter said: