Horror as body is found in city alley
POLICE DON’T YET KNOW WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF DEATH
Reporter A CHEF discovered the body of a man outside the packed city centre restaurant where he worked.
Staff at Prima on Newcastle’s Dean Street said they believed the man was asleep when they spotted him lying outside the restaurant’s back door, on Saturday night.
But when a chef attempted to move him he realised he was dead.
Police were yesterday continuing to investigate how the man died and officers are currently treating his death as ‘unexplained.’
A waiter at Prima has told The Chronicle about how learning that a man was lying dead so close by as he served diners inside felt “horrible”.
Tom Chadwick, 18, from Washington said: “It was horrible to think someone was lying dead so close.”
Emergency services were called to the junction of Dean Street and Side at just after 8pm after the body was discovered in an alleyway between Pizza Express and Prima. A police cordon was put in place.
The discovery was made near Prima’s back door.
Staff had been aware the man was there for some time. However, they believed he was asleep.
“The restaurant was really busy,” said Tom. “He was there for a while and a few people seen him, but didn’t think anything of it.
“Then the chef came out and tried to move him, and realised he was dead. I think he was homeless.
“He was there for a few hours, but no one done anything because they thought he was asleep.”
We saw a discarded syringe packet and blood-stained alcohol wipes on the ground in the alleyway, though police have not confirmed these items were connected with the man’s death.
A collapsed cardboard box was also spotted propped up against the wall which looked like a makeshift bed.
A Northumbria Police spokesman said the death was being treated as ‘unexplained.’
He said: “The cause of death is unexplained. At the moment and it is currently with the coroner.
“We are not releasing any information about the identity of the deceased.”
By around 9.20pm, two ambulances that had been at the scene left but the cordon remained in place.
People who were out in the city centre and saw the scene said they were shocked to see police cars and paramedics in the area.
Stacey Taylor, of Wallsend, who was on a night out with friends, said: “We were just on our way for a meal when we saw lots of police officers here and ambulances. It looked serious because there was a cordon there.”
Dean Street is a popular area for nightlife activities in Newcastle, connecting Grey Street with the Quayside.