A MURDER investigation has been opened after a father-of-three died nearly two years after being attacked.

Kevin Pharoah, 49, of Gateshead, who developed epilepsy after being badly beaten in a pub in January 2000, was found dead in bed last Tuesday after suffering an epileptic attack.

Northumbria Police confirmed it was the first time the force had launched a murder investigation of this type since a Northern Echo campaign helped change the so called year-and-a-day law.

Before 1996 a victim of violence had to die within a year and a day before anyone could be charged with murder.

Mr Pharoah, who was married with three daughters but separated from his wife, had been unable to work as a postman since he was attacked at the Fret and Fiddler, formerly the Traveller's Rest in Front Street, Sunniside, near Gateshead. Mr Pharoah had been attending an 18th birthday party.

He was found unconscious in the pub after a fight and was taken to hospital by ambulance. Police are trying to trace anyone who was in the pub on the night of the party on January 22.

A post mortem investigation confirmed Mr Pharoah had died as a result of an epileptic attack.

Detective superintendent Ian Sharpe, leading the investigation said: "Although Mr Pharoah died more than 18 months ago it's clear that he died as a result of the injuries he received that night and his death is being treated as murder. We've already identified a number of people at this party but we need to speak to anybody who was there."

The 400-year-old year-and-a-day law was changed after The Northern Echo backed Pat Gibson's campaign on behalf of her son.

Michael Gibson, of Darlington, died 16 months after slipping into a coma following an unprovoked attack in Darlington town centre. His attacker David Clark received two years for grievous bodily harm.

Three years after his death in 1993, and after collecting 5,000 signatures for a petition, the Government agreed that the law was out of date.