A CORONER yesterday recorded an open verdict into the death of a betting shop manager who died after a row with a punter.

Jeffrey Hilland, who suffered from heart problems, collapsed after an argument with Trevor Hall.

Hall wanted to back a greyhound, but was told he could not because the race had started, however the dog went on to win.

Yesterday’s inquest, at Chester-le-Street Magistrates’ Court, heard Hall had drunk 12 pints of lager and some shots of spirits, after attending the funeral of a friend’s mother.

He lost his temper with the 52-year-old manager of Pagebet in Front Street, Pelton, near Chester-le-Street, at about 8.45pm on June 2 last year.

Fellow punter Brian Burn told the inquest: “He was calling for Jeff to come from behind the counter and it started to get quite heated.

“He started to open the counter door. They grappled and fell to the floor.

“It seemed that a shirt came off Jeff while they were on the floor.”

Raymond Hodgson, another customer told the inquest that after the initial confrontation, he saw Mr Hilland slide down behind the counter.

Hall tried to help him, but Mr Hilland died in hospital four days later.

In February, Hall, 37, was sentenced to a year’s imprisonment after admitting affray, but he has since been freed on an electronic tag.

Pathologist Dr Jennifer Hamilton said she looked for evidence of natural disease as well as marks of trauma during her post-mortem examination.

She said Mr Hilland died as a result of a lack of oxygen to the brain brought on by preexisting heart disease.

Dr Hamilton said: “It would have been possible for him to have died at any time.

“But had the events not happened, I do not think he would have died when he did.”

Coroner Andrew Tweddle said an open verdict was the only one he could record.

He said: “This means that the exact cause cannot be determined.

“It is most likely that the incident that took place caused the heart to go into an uneven rhythm, which lead to Mr Hilland’s death, but I cannot be sure of that.”