A man who died after falling in front of a train at Romford station has been formally named in court as Damon Taylor.
The 56-year-old, of Medora Road, Romford, succumbed to his injuries at the Royal London Hospital on February 2, two days after the tragic incident on January 31.
At East London Coroner’s Court in Walthamstow on February 11, senior coroner Graeme Irvine confirmed the opening of an inquest into Mr. Taylor’s death.
Mr. Irvine stated that Mr. Taylor had suffered “severe neurological trauma”, explaining:
“It would appear that the injuries were sustained having fallen in front of a train at Romford.”
Due to Mr. Taylor’s death occurring at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, the case was initially referred to Poplar Coroner’s Court before being transferred to Mr. Irvine, as the fatal incident happened within his jurisdiction.
Doctors listed Mr. Taylor’s cause of death as “traumatic brain injury”. He was officially identified by British Transport Police and a close friend, the court heard.
Inquest Opened, Full Hearing Scheduled for July
Mr. Irvine confirmed that the death was not due to natural causes, warranting a full inquest.
He formally declared Mr. Taylor’s next of kin an “interested person”, granting them the legal right to review evidence and question witnesses during the proceedings.
The coroner also requested key evidence, including:
- Police and ambulance service reports
- GP and hospital medical records
- CCTV footage and witness statements collected by British Transport Police
The full inquest has been adjourned until July 28.
Public Interest in Inquest Proceedings
Inquests are held to investigate unnatural or unexplained deaths, determining whether any preventative measures could be taken to avoid similar tragedies in the future.
The inquiry into Mr. Taylor’s death will seek to establish the full circumstances of the incident at Romford station.
