THE death of a dad-of-two after an altercation outside a pub in Stretford was an unlawful killing, a jury has ruled.

Gavin Brown died of brain damage due to a cardiac arrest eight days after a member of the public put him in a six-minute, MMA-style 'chokehold' outside The Melville on Barton Road.

A number of people were arrested at the time of Gavin's death, although the Crown Prosecution Service said there was not enough evidence to make charges of murder or manslaughter.

But at the end of the inquest at Manchester South Coroner's Court in Stockport on Monday, overseen by coroner Andrew Bridgman, a jury came to a conclusion of unlawful killing.

During the inquest, the court heard how Gavin, a paranoid schizophrenic, was in the care of Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. He managed the condition with medication and was under a Community Treatment Order.

The court also heard how the dad-of-two became involved in an altercation with a doorman at The Melville on April 12, 2019.

After the altercation started, a member of the public left the pub and put Gavin into what witnesses described as a 'chokehold'.

This lasted for at least six minutes, with no attempt to check on or speak to him, even as he became unresponsive.

When police arrived, officers arrested Gavin and put him in handcuffs. They then realised he was unresponsive, removed the handcuffs and attempted resuscitation.

Sadly, Gavin died at Salford Royal Hospital on April 20, 2019.

In a statement at the end of the inquest, Gavin’s family said: "Since Gavin’s death over two and a half years ago, we have sought the truth about what happened on the night of April 12, 2019, outside The Melville in Stretford.

"We are relieved and grateful a jury has vindicated our longstanding belief Gavin was unlawfully killed.

"The CPS's decision last year not to prosecute any of the individuals implicated in Gavin’s death was heartbreaking. We felt let down by the criminal justice system.

"We are grateful to the coroner’s indication that he will ask Greater Manchester Police to review the case, and we are cautiously optimistic that the CPS will change their decision based on the evidence which has emerged during the inquest.

"We will hold Gavin’s memory in our hearts forever and will not give up in our fight for justice for him."