Hour-long fight to save Sir David
Inquest hears of MP’s ‘multiple’ wounds
EMERGENCY services battled for more than an hour to try to save Sir David Amess after he was stabbed ‘multiple’ times, an inquest heard yesterday.
The Conservative MP, 69, was fatally wounded when the attacker struck at a constituency surgery at 12.05pm on October 15.
Coroner’s officer Paul Donaghy told the inquest: ‘During a meeting with one individual, he received multiple stab wounds. Sadly, despite attempted medical interventions, his death was confirmed at the scene at 1.13pm.’
Police arrived within minutes of the incident, followed by paramedics. A post-mortem examination gave the Southend West MP’s cause of death as multiple stab wounds to the chest.
The Roman Catholic priest who tried to read the last rites to the father-of-five has also revealed he has quit social media after facing abuse from trolls. Father Jeffrey Woolnough said police had prevented him from entering Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea as it was a crime scene.
He told the BBC: ‘I was trying to let people know I had tried my very best... Most people have been so kind with messages of support, others have accused me of capitulating at the scene.’
Ali Harbi Ali, 25, was charged with the murder of Sir David at the Old Bailey in London on Friday. He is due to go on trial in March. The Crown Prosecution Service says the attack had a terrorist connection because of its ‘religious and ideological’ motives.
Senior Essex coroner Lincoln Brookes adjourned the inquest in Chelmsford until April 25. He added: ‘I am sure I am speaking on behalf of many of
‘Priest trolled on social media’
the country on expressing that my deepest condolences are passed to Sir David’s family.’
IN an unconnected incident, a man was arrested yesterday for making abusive phone calls to Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner on the day Sir David was fatally stabbed.
The suspect, 52, was apprehended by Greater Manchester Police in Halifax, West Yorkshire. He was later bailed pending further inquiries.