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| Mother of boxer who died after unlicensed fight 'was offered money' | Mother of boxer who died after unlicensed fight 'was offered money' |
| (4 months later) | |
| Mother of boxer Jakub Moczyk, 22, tells inquest that Aurelius Kerpe, who helped organise event, offered her ‘up to £30,000’ | |
| Press Association | |
| Thu 12 Oct 2017 15.03 BST | |
| Last modified on Thu 12 Oct 2017 15.46 BST | |
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| The mother of a boxer who was knocked unconscious in his first public fight and later died has told an inquest she was approached in hospital the day after the bout by a man who helped organise the event and was offered up to £30,000. | The mother of a boxer who was knocked unconscious in his first public fight and later died has told an inquest she was approached in hospital the day after the bout by a man who helped organise the event and was offered up to £30,000. |
| Aurelius Kerpe told the inquest at Norfolk coroner’s court in Great Yarmouth that he did not offer the money, and went to the hospital to offer his condolences, although he said he did later make a £1,500 “donation”. | Aurelius Kerpe told the inquest at Norfolk coroner’s court in Great Yarmouth that he did not offer the money, and went to the hospital to offer his condolences, although he said he did later make a £1,500 “donation”. |
| Jakub Moczyk, 22, known to his friends and family as Kuba, was rendered unconscious by a punch to the head during the third round at an unlicensed event in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, on 19 November 2016. He died in hospital two days later. | Jakub Moczyk, 22, known to his friends and family as Kuba, was rendered unconscious by a punch to the head during the third round at an unlicensed event in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, on 19 November 2016. He died in hospital two days later. |
| His mother, Jolanta Smigaj, described the night at the Atlantis Tower Arena as a “high-risk, unlicensed event” in a statement read to the inquest hearing. | His mother, Jolanta Smigaj, described the night at the Atlantis Tower Arena as a “high-risk, unlicensed event” in a statement read to the inquest hearing. |
| She said that Kerpe approached her in hospital on 20 November 2016. | She said that Kerpe approached her in hospital on 20 November 2016. |
| “He asked me how much money I want; £20,000, £30,000 was offered,” said Smigaj. “My partner was with me. We were both confused why he asked whatever amount we wanted.” | “He asked me how much money I want; £20,000, £30,000 was offered,” said Smigaj. “My partner was with me. We were both confused why he asked whatever amount we wanted.” |
| She continued: “I think it’s all very suspicious from beginning to end.” | She continued: “I think it’s all very suspicious from beginning to end.” |
| Kerpe, who was assisted by a Lithuanian interpreter, was asked by Norfolk’s senior coroner, Jacqueline Lake, if he offered Smigaj money. | Kerpe, who was assisted by a Lithuanian interpreter, was asked by Norfolk’s senior coroner, Jacqueline Lake, if he offered Smigaj money. |
| He said: “No, 100% no.” | He said: “No, 100% no.” |
| He said he did make a “donation” of £1,500, adding in broken English: “Everybody advise me don’t give money as looks like I’m guilty and advantage against me, but I don’t care. I don’t listen nobody and I donation from heart, sad what happened, just community.” | He said he did make a “donation” of £1,500, adding in broken English: “Everybody advise me don’t give money as looks like I’m guilty and advantage against me, but I don’t care. I don’t listen nobody and I donation from heart, sad what happened, just community.” |
| He said he went to the hospital to “give my condolences” but did not offer money. | He said he went to the hospital to “give my condolences” but did not offer money. |
| He told the inquest he had 20 years of experience in boxing and was asked to help arrange the boxing event. Asked by the coroner about his involvement, he said: “I was asked to help with ordering the ring, referee, and sort of a matchmaker organising who would fight with whom.” | He told the inquest he had 20 years of experience in boxing and was asked to help arrange the boxing event. Asked by the coroner about his involvement, he said: “I was asked to help with ordering the ring, referee, and sort of a matchmaker organising who would fight with whom.” |
| He said he took money from the event but not from the bars, and that he made payments for expenses including £250 for medics, and payments for the referee, ring hire and to fighters. | He said he took money from the event but not from the bars, and that he made payments for expenses including £250 for medics, and payments for the referee, ring hire and to fighters. |
| He said he had completed a risk assessment downloaded from the internet with the help of an English friend, Paul Rackham. | He said he had completed a risk assessment downloaded from the internet with the help of an English friend, Paul Rackham. |
| Asked if he checked if medicals had been carried out on fighters before the fights started, he said: “I’m not answering the question.” | Asked if he checked if medicals had been carried out on fighters before the fights started, he said: “I’m not answering the question.” |
| Smigaj was ringside when her son was knocked to the canvas and she said in her statement “everything was a big mess”. | Smigaj was ringside when her son was knocked to the canvas and she said in her statement “everything was a big mess”. |
| She said: “Nobody seemed to know what to do. Everybody kept saying he would get up.” | She said: “Nobody seemed to know what to do. Everybody kept saying he would get up.” |
| Smigaj said it took “over an hour for the NHS ambulance to be there”. | Smigaj said it took “over an hour for the NHS ambulance to be there”. |
| Emergency medical technician Susan Mitchison, who was ringside when Moczyk was knocked down, earlier told the inquest that paramedics arrived within 10 minutes. | Emergency medical technician Susan Mitchison, who was ringside when Moczyk was knocked down, earlier told the inquest that paramedics arrived within 10 minutes. |
| The inquest continues. | The inquest continues. |
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