Two men involved in a theft of belongings from a delivery driver who suffered a heart attack and died at the scene have both been jailed, but only for stealing from his van.

Joseph Henry Niles and Gary Peter Hepworth were arrested following the incident in a terraced street, in Horden, County Durham, on Sunday, March 19 this year.

Police and paramedics were called to reports of DPD delivery driver Andrew James Coyles having collapsed in Handley Street, shortly before 11.15am.

In a subsequent statement the Durham force confirmed, however: “Officers and paramedics attended, but sadly, a man was pronounced dead at the scene.”

The Northern Echo:

At that time, one man was arrested in connection with the incident, but subsequently a second suspect was detained.

Officers cordoned off the road and two adjoining back alleys, while a forensic tent was erected alongside a white DPD van in the terraced street, amid initial inquiries.

Read more: Horden incident: Tragedy as police confirm a man has died

Following further investigation, the two detained men, 41-year-old Niles, of no fixed abode, and 43-year-old Hepworth, of Greenside Avenue, Peterlee, were both charged with Mr Coyles’ manslaughter.

Both appeared before magistrates at Peterlee on March 22, when the case was committed to Durham Crown Court.

Read more: Horden incident: Two charged with manslaughter over DPD driver's death

When they appeared at a plea hearing at the crown court, on Wednesday April 19, they denied the manslaughter charge.

Both, also, denied a separate count of theft of a mobile phone and a wallet belonging to Mr Coyles.

Hepworth faced a further charge of assaulting an emergency worker as he was being detained. He pleaded not guilty to that count, as well.

The case was adjourned for a trial, due to begin at Teesside Crown Court yesterday (Wednesday, September 6).

But, when the case was called into court, prosecution counsel Paul Abrahams said that following a review of the available evidence, the Crown had decided not to pursue the manslaughter charge last month.

The prosecution, therefore, offered “no evidence” relating to the manslaughter allegation.

Recorder Peter Reid formally recorded a ‘not guilty’ verdict to that charge.

He said that while they were not considered legally responsible for Mr Coyles' death, they, "undoubtedly" bore a "moral" responsibility.

Both defendants changed their pleas and each admitted the theft charge.

Hepworth also changed his plea and admitted the count relating to the assault of an emergency worker.

Recorder Reid imposed six-month prison sentences on both men for the theft, but added a further two months, consecutively, to Hepworth’s sentence for the assault on the emergency worker.

In a tribute released via Durham Police, in the days following Mr Handley’s death, his three children, Katie, Rebecca and James, said: “There will never be the words to describe the way we fell.

Read next:

Get the latest news, sport and entertainment from The Northern Echo, delivered straight to your device. Click here.

“Nothing ever prepares you for this hurt and pain.

“Our hearts are broken. We love you so very much and will continue to make you proud each and every day, they way you always told us.

“It’s only: ‘See you later, dad'. It’s not: ‘goodbye’.”