Veteran dumped from trolley and ‘left to die’
Inquest hears of tragic end to battle with drugs
AN army veteran was dumped from a supermarket trolley and left to die in the road, an inquest heard.
Grant Goggins, 33, was alive but unconscious when he was wheeled down Tong Lane, Whitworth, in the early hours of November 10, 2022.
Two men were arrested on suspicion of murder but later released without charge.
Despite bundling Grant’s body into a supermarket trolley and dumping him by the side of the road, neither had committed a criminal offence, an inquest heard.
“We are heartbroken and overwhelmed with despair”, Grant’s family said. “The way he was treated in his final hours is sickening.”
The inquest at Accrington Town Hall heard Grant, a keen musician, had suffered with mental health problems for around 12 years following the stillbirth of his child.
He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and turned to drugs to self medicate.
However he was engaged with mental health services and had spent time in Christian rehabilitation centres to tackle his addictions. In October 2021 he was discharged from rehab in Leicester, free from drugs.
He was working with Narcotics Anonymous and the Homeless Veterans Association, and feeling positive about his future.
“He tried to keep himself busy going to the gym and reading”, Grant’s sister Jess said.
However housing continued to be a problem and while his care plan stated he needed his own place to live, he was placed in temporary housing at Hill View Hotel in Blackburn.
Three days before he died, Grant, from Bacup, received news that a home had been found for him, however by that time he had returned to the drugs fraternity after meeting people in the hostel where he was staying.
On November 9, he visited the home of Graham Lomax, with an associate, Stephen Porter.
Mr Lomax told the inquest he had not met Grant before that night but when he realised he was seriously unwell, claimed he tried to resuscitate him.
He admitted he had been using heroin that evening but had “brought nine people round before”.
He claimed he had shouted to Mr Porter to call an ambulance, and decided to take more drugs. After that he remembered nothing, he said. CCTV showed the two men pushing Grant down Tong Lane between 2am and 3am.
Dr Charles Wilson, a forensic pathologist said at that time Grant was “deeply unconscious”. He suffered grazing and bruising to his head consistent with a fall from the height of a supermarket trolley, which showed he was alive when he landed on the ground.
A postmortem, carried out by Dr Wilson, concluded Grant died from multi drug toxicity from a cocktail of heroin, cocaine and amphetamines. He could not say whether he would have survived with earlier intervention.
A member of the public found Grant at around 7.20am. He called emergency services and covered Grant with a blanket from his car, while a passer-by ran for a defibrillator and another attempted CPR.
When paramedics arrived, Grant was declared dead at the scene.
Lancashire Police launched a murder investigation and arrested Mr Lomax and Mr Porter at around 8am. Mr Porter said nothing, but Mr Lomax told officers: “That guy in there he overdosed himself. He killed himself.”
When the cause of death was established, Detective Inspector Mark Fallows, of Burnley CID spoke to a senior crown prosecutor to see if any criminal charges could be brought against the two men.
He told the inquest: “Morally I can’t think of a more reprehensible act to carry out. I spoke to the prosecutor about various things - failing to call emergency services and tipping the body out. They looked at the evidence and said it fell short of criminal responsibility.”
Investigations showed no attempts had been made to call for help for Grant as he suffered severe effects of the drugs he had taken.
But Det Insp Fallows said: “The fact they didn’t prevent a lawful burial or conceal Grant’s body fell short of a criminal offence.”
Both men were asked to attend the inquest to answer questions for Grant’s heartbroken family.
Mr Porter chose not to attend, but Mr Lomax said he believed Grant had already died when he was at the flat. He said: “Grant was gone. I don’t understand.”
Turning to Grant’s mother and sister, he said: “I apologise. I didn’t know he was alive. I had no idea. Sorry I couldn’t do more.”
Coroner Kate Bissett said Grant was a much loved son and brother who “fought really hard” against his struggles.
She said Grant was not someone who used drugs as a lifestyle choice but was using them to try and get better from his mental health problems.
“For a number of years he used drugs to stabilise how he was feeling”, she said. “Grant was a man with an enormously large heart and that same had not been shown to him.”
The coroner said Grant “may well have lived if someone had taken early action.”
“To callously dump him in the road - it was inhumane”, she said.
Speaking after the inquest, Jess said: “Even after everything we have heard, it is still unbelievable that they could do what they did without any consequences.”
His mother Victoria said: “He needed stability. To put someone who is abstinent somewhere like Hill View is putting them right back.”