"He then went to punch me."
An inquest heard that a reveller died from a punch to the head after a verbal altercation escalated outside a Birmingham city centre bar.
Amarpal Atkar, who was “like a celebrity” at Be At One, was punched twice to the head, the second of which caused a fatal brain injury.
Birmingham Coroner’s Court heard that Thomas Coleman and his girlfriend – now wife – had come to the city for the first time to celebrate passing her driving test.
The couple were outside Be At One at around 1:20 am on July 31, 2021, speaking to a taxi driver when the incident began.
As Mr Coleman was told they could not get a taxi because it was too close to the hotel, he stepped back, accidentally bumping into Mr Atkar.
Witnesses then heard Mr Atkar referring to him as a “ginger t***” and “Ed Sheeran” before challenging Mr Coleman to hit him.
CCTV then shows him punching Mr Atkar in the face, with him falling to the floor as he’s struck.
Mr Atkar got back to his feet as bouncers restrained Mr Coleman, taking his wallet and hotel key before letting him go.
Mr Coleman told the court: “Mr Atkar came towards me with his phone to his ear, he was saying, ‘He is here now, come quick’.
“He then went to punch me.”
Mr Coleman punched him a second time in the face.
Mr Atkar was found unresponsive near the train station entrance and rushed to hospital. Nothing could be done to save him and he was confirmed dead the same day.
Mr Coleman, who fled the scene, was found at the Grand Hotel and arrested by police, initially on suspicion of murder with a case later made for manslaughter.
On two occasions, the CPS decided not to charge Mr Coleman with any offence.
After the initial decision, Mr Atkar’s family filed a Victim’s Right to Review, however, Birmingham Coroner’s Court heard no charges would be brought, with family feeling “let down by the justice system”.
It was ruled that Mr Atkar died from a traumatic brain injury caused by the second punch.
Ruling out unlawful killing and recording a narrative conclusion, Senior Coroner Louise Hunt told the court:
“I accept Mr Coleman’s evidence when he said he was trying to protect himself at the time and the punch was in self-defence.”
“It is regrettable that Mr Coleman decided to use such force to respond to the verbal altercation as this did result in the death of Mr Atkar.”
Be At One’s head doorman, Chace Cappellie described Mr Atkar as a club regular who was “known to be quite mouthy” but had never been violent.
He said: “He spoke to everyone, however he was harmless.
“I never heard him be offensive or violent towards anybody.
“I heard [Amarpal] say ‘hit me, hit me’, this is what drew my attention to them. I don’t remember him saying it in an aggressive way, it was just loud and slightly cocky.”
After the inquest, Mr Atkar’s family paid tribute to him as the “life and soul of any room he walked into”.
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