Martin Morley

Martin Morley died after being chased by two older boys that had threatened to get him.

The Coroner said that it could not be proved that the chase caused his death. He was said to have died from a combination of fear and exertion whilst suffering from a temporary inflammation of the heart.

The newspapers described him as the boy that was 'frightened to death'.

The police spent over a month investigating the circumstances of his death.

It was noted that one of the boys that had chased him had appeared 13 times in the school book for bad conduct at his school during the previous two years.

Martin Morley had been a pupil at Downe Manor First and Middle School in Kingshill Avenue, Northolt.

he had lived in Kingshill Avenue, Northolt and was found in a collapsed state near Ayles Court on the Clem Atlee Estate off Atlee Road, a few hundred yards from his home at about 5.30pm on 24 February 1986. Neighbours attempted to revive him, but failed.

Martin Morley's friends said that they had earlier been playing on some icy fields off Greenway in Northolt with three boys and two girls from their school. One of them said that as they started to go home two boys approached them and one said:

Martin Morley's friend said that he and Martin Morley ran off, chased by the two boys, but that they split up and the chasers followed Martin Morley.

Martin Morley was found soon after.

A man said that he had just returned from walking his dog at about 5.45pm when he saw another youth carrying Martin Morley in his arms. He was said to have been gasping when he was found.

The man said:

While the youth who found Martin Morley at the back of the flats rushed to get Martin Morley's parents, another woman called for an ambulance. They then wrapped Martin Morley up in an eiderdown and waited for the ambulance to arrive.

A woman said:

Martin Morley's friend noted that the boys that had chased them had threatened Martin Morley earlier in the week and that he and Martin Morley were :

One of the boys that had chased Martin Morley, said that he had gone into the field to see a motorbike and that as they walked towards a group of children that they shouted:

And that they chased two of the boys, but said that they stopped at the end of Brookfield Road as Martin Morley ran off in one direction and his friend in another direction. He said that he didn't know why they chased the boys and didn't know what they would do if they caught them. He admitted that there had been an argument with Martin Morley, but denied that they had been bullying him.

His post mortem failed to reveal the cause of his death although the Coroner at the inquest said that Martin Morley had had heart changes that had caused his death and that he had a heart complaint. It was said that he had suffered from a heart condition that was common in boys, and particularly sporty people. A pathologist said that the fact that Martin Morley had been running hard and was more frightened:

The pathologist added that Martin Morley had probably only had the condition for a few days, noting that it didn't produce any symptoms, and that he would have otherwise have recovered from it.

Martin Morley's mother said that Martin Morley had been 'terrified' of one of the bullies and had had nightmares.

Martin Morley's father said that he believed that Martin Morley would not have died if he had not been chased by the other boys before he was found dead.

The inquest heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions had decided not to bring any charge of murder or manslaughter, which were the only two offences that the Coroner could inquire into. The Coroner added:

He then advised Martin Morley's father to see a solicitor about his issues.

It was noted that during the hearing that there was a dramatic outburst from the mother of one of the alleged bullies, when she refused to let  her son give evidence after claiming that Martin Morley's father had mouthed:

at her son  on the way into court. She said:

The pathologist said that there was no possible way of proving that the actual chase contributed to Martin Morley's death.

Martin Morley's best friend said that he and Martin Morley had been punched and kicked earlier by the bullies in the playground after a row.

The inquest returned a verdict of misadventure.

However, the issue brought about conflict between the families.

The mother of one of the boys said to have chased Martin Morley defended her son and noted that as a result of Martin Morley's death that she had death threats against her and her family, noting that she had already had her face slashed by a man who told her:

She added that rocks had also been thrown at their family car and a phone caller threatened to murder her and her 12-year-old son, who she said was now on tranquillisers.

She said:

She added that her son was completely innocent. She said that on the evening of Martin Morley's death that her son and his friend and both been totally normal when they came in from playing. She denied that he was a bully and said that he had many friends.

She added:

She said that after Martin Morley died that her son changed completely and didn't go out for three months. She said that he never used to stay in, and was ordinarily always out. However, she said that then suddenly she had a 12-year-old boy who wouldn't go out and was constantly at her side and wanted to know where she was all the time. She added that he had started waking up in the night crying and was frightened. She said:

She said that she was waiting for an appointment for him to see a child psychologist.

She added that she was determined to clear her son's name and defended the decision not to let him give evidence at the inquest, saying:

She added:

She went on to lay some of the blame for violent behaviour of children on television and video films, saying:

She added that she stood firmly behind her son, saying:

A school teacher said that in the days leading up to half term that she had sent the woman's child to the headmaster for fighting and that on one occasion a child had to be sent home because he was scared that the boy would get him. However, the teacher added:

She added that the woman's child was not a bully, but had a very strong personality and could be threatening to other children.

The headmaster at the school said that before half-term the boy had been sent to his office. He said:

She noted that his name had appeared in the book for bad conduct 13 times in the previous two years.

She added that she had also written a report on bullying for the school governors and said:

The headmaster added that there was no problem with bullying at the school. He said:

He added that a number of parents had complained about the woman's son, saying:

A spokesperson for the Town Hall said that if parents suspected that their child was being bullied at school that they should contact the headteacher immediately, and an education committee chairman reassured parents that schools were always on the lookout for bullying. He said:

However, following all that, Martin Morley's parents said that they would not let their son's case rest, despite the inquest verdict the week earlier.

Martin Morley's father said that he would be fighting for a judicial review of the case. He said:

He denied that they had threatened the family of the other boy, stating that despite one angry confrontation, they had refused to meet the other family.

Martin Morley's father, who described his son as a quiet child who kept himself to himself, defended his decision to hold an elaborate funeral with a horse-drawn hearse. He said:

Martin Morley's father went on to reveal the devastating effect that his son's death had had on his family. He said that for nearly three months they could not speak about their son, adding that in fact they hardly talked at all, as they each blamed each other for not knowing he was ill, noting that Martin Morley had suffered from inflammation of the heart.

He said that Martin Morley's bedroom had not changed for six months and that his 5-year-old brother could not bear to go into Martin Morley's room. He said:

Martin Morley's mother said:

She said that Martin Morley's school, Down Manor First and Middle in Kingshill Avenue, Greenford, had become a battlefield.

She noted that on the night of his death that she received a phone call from a girl who said:

Martin Morley's father noted that a year before the death, that the school had offered to move Martin Morley elsewhere, adding that their two elder daughters had already been transferred.

However, he said that Martin Morley had wanted to stay at the school with his friends, despite being teased when he, (Martin Morley's father), had to step in to sort out a problem with the elder sisters of the other boy. He said that the only indication he had that anything was wrong was when he asked to be picked up from school.

However, he said that he refused to accept the medical evidence at the inquest, noting that Martin Morley had been a keen footballer, playing for the Northolt and Greenford Park club, and runner and would not have died if he had not been chased. After the inquest he said that he was not prepared to let the matter rest until he had proved that the chase had precipitated his son's death.

He said:

Following the inquest, Martin Morley's family solicitor said: