This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/nov/28/oxford-university-rawlings-death
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Oxford University professor's fight death ruled accidental | Oxford University professor's fight death ruled accidental |
| (4 months later) | |
| An Oxford University professor, who was receiving treatment for mental health problems, died of a cardiac arrest after being put in a headlock by a long-standing friend and colleague who was trying to restrain him during a fight, an inquest heard on Wednesday. | An Oxford University professor, who was receiving treatment for mental health problems, died of a cardiac arrest after being put in a headlock by a long-standing friend and colleague who was trying to restrain him during a fight, an inquest heard on Wednesday. |
| Prof Steven Rawlings, an internationally acclaimed astrophysicist, became "like a man possessed", said mathematician Dr Devinder Sivia, who had invited him to stay the night at his home in Southmoor, Oxfordshire because of concerns over his mental wellbeing. Minutes after the death, Sivia emailed Rawlings' wife, who was in America on business, to say: "I'm terribly sorry but I have killed him, sorry, Devinder," Oxford coroner's court heard. | Prof Steven Rawlings, an internationally acclaimed astrophysicist, became "like a man possessed", said mathematician Dr Devinder Sivia, who had invited him to stay the night at his home in Southmoor, Oxfordshire because of concerns over his mental wellbeing. Minutes after the death, Sivia emailed Rawlings' wife, who was in America on business, to say: "I'm terribly sorry but I have killed him, sorry, Devinder," Oxford coroner's court heard. |
| "I couldn't believe he was serious," said Rawlings' widow, Linda, 50, a clinical researcher. She had been in email contact with Sivia throughout the day to get updates on her husband's condition, she told the hearing. After Sivia emailed to say he had Rawlings in a headlock, she spoke to him on the phone as paramedics, then police, arrived at his bungalow. "Devinder was crying and said: 'I have killed my best friend,'" she said.She then heard the police arresting him. | "I couldn't believe he was serious," said Rawlings' widow, Linda, 50, a clinical researcher. She had been in email contact with Sivia throughout the day to get updates on her husband's condition, she told the hearing. After Sivia emailed to say he had Rawlings in a headlock, she spoke to him on the phone as paramedics, then police, arrived at his bungalow. "Devinder was crying and said: 'I have killed my best friend,'" she said.She then heard the police arresting him. |
| Rawlings, 50, of Letcombe Regis, Oxfordshire, a widely respected fellow and tutor of physics St Peter's College, had been hospitalised after suffering an acute psychotic episode in April 2011 and had been unwell in the days leading up to his death on 11 January. On the day he died, he had not taken the medication prescribed by his doctor. | Rawlings, 50, of Letcombe Regis, Oxfordshire, a widely respected fellow and tutor of physics St Peter's College, had been hospitalised after suffering an acute psychotic episode in April 2011 and had been unwell in the days leading up to his death on 11 January. On the day he died, he had not taken the medication prescribed by his doctor. |
| He and Sivia, 49, had been friends since meeting as undergraduates at St John's College, Cambridge, and had co-authored a book. | He and Sivia, 49, had been friends since meeting as undergraduates at St John's College, Cambridge, and had co-authored a book. |
| Sivia, a mathematics lecturer at St John's College, Oxford, and former Nasa employee, was arrested on suspicion of murder but later released without charge. | Sivia, a mathematics lecturer at St John's College, Oxford, and former Nasa employee, was arrested on suspicion of murder but later released without charge. |
| The inquest heard Rawlings had become increasingly stressed after working during the Christmas period and was "drifting in and out of reality". "I got the impression he thought I had brought him home for sex. I was confused; neither of us were that way inclined," Sivia said, adding that Rawlings "oscillated between fantasy and reality". | The inquest heard Rawlings had become increasingly stressed after working during the Christmas period and was "drifting in and out of reality". "I got the impression he thought I had brought him home for sex. I was confused; neither of us were that way inclined," Sivia said, adding that Rawlings "oscillated between fantasy and reality". |
| "All of a sudden he took up a statuesque pose with a look in his eyes that I had never seen before. He sat bolt upright, with his fists closed and a menacing look in his eyes. Then he said quietly: "I am going to kill you." | "All of a sudden he took up a statuesque pose with a look in his eyes that I had never seen before. He sat bolt upright, with his fists closed and a menacing look in his eyes. Then he said quietly: "I am going to kill you." |
| Rawlings punched Sivia, and the pair scuffled. "He was screaming 'you're going to die, you're going to die,'" said Sivia. | Rawlings punched Sivia, and the pair scuffled. "He was screaming 'you're going to die, you're going to die,'" said Sivia. |
| In a police video shown to the inquest, Sivia demonstrated how he managed to pin Rawlings to the floor and hold him in a headlock as Rawlings struggled and tried to punch and scratch him. But this cut off Rawlings' air supply, causing cardiac arrest. | In a police video shown to the inquest, Sivia demonstrated how he managed to pin Rawlings to the floor and hold him in a headlock as Rawlings struggled and tried to punch and scratch him. But this cut off Rawlings' air supply, causing cardiac arrest. |
| Sivia told the hearing that Rawlings uttered "goodbye cruel world" before his body went limp. But Sivia feared his friend might have been playing dead. "This is a line from a Pink Floyd song, Goodbye Cruel World, from their album The Wall. I thought this might be a ploy to release him because it was so melodramatic." | Sivia told the hearing that Rawlings uttered "goodbye cruel world" before his body went limp. But Sivia feared his friend might have been playing dead. "This is a line from a Pink Floyd song, Goodbye Cruel World, from their album The Wall. I thought this might be a ploy to release him because it was so melodramatic." |
| He did not realise Rawlings was dead until neighbours, whom he had called, arrived and turned Rawlings over to reveal his face was blue. | He did not realise Rawlings was dead until neighbours, whom he had called, arrived and turned Rawlings over to reveal his face was blue. |
| Forensic pathologist Nicholas Hunt said that the cause of death was cardiac arrest during a restraint in a prone position including compression of the neck. Rawlings also suffered a fractured right hand, consistent with having punched Sivia, while Sivia had injuries to his face. | Forensic pathologist Nicholas Hunt said that the cause of death was cardiac arrest during a restraint in a prone position including compression of the neck. Rawlings also suffered a fractured right hand, consistent with having punched Sivia, while Sivia had injuries to his face. |
| A neighbour of Rawlings, Jim Birch, said Rawlings was "on edge" on the day of his death and talked about resigning from work. "He made a couple of weird statements saying 'if I died tonight that wouldn't be too bad'," Birch told the inquest. | A neighbour of Rawlings, Jim Birch, said Rawlings was "on edge" on the day of his death and talked about resigning from work. "He made a couple of weird statements saying 'if I died tonight that wouldn't be too bad'," Birch told the inquest. |
| Oxford coroner Darren Salter, recording a verdict of accidental death, said: "Devinder Sivia acted at all times in self defence and out of fear. It was an attempt to restrain Prof Rawlings and not to kill or injure him. As a result, Prof Rawlings' death was not an intended consequence and therefore an accident." | Oxford coroner Darren Salter, recording a verdict of accidental death, said: "Devinder Sivia acted at all times in self defence and out of fear. It was an attempt to restrain Prof Rawlings and not to kill or injure him. As a result, Prof Rawlings' death was not an intended consequence and therefore an accident." |
| After the inquest, Sivia described Rawlings as one of his "eldest and closest friends" but who was suffering from acute psychosis. "Unfortunately, the delusion and paranoia associated with his illness got the better of him and my attempt to help Steve in his relapse came to a nightmarish end." | After the inquest, Sivia described Rawlings as one of his "eldest and closest friends" but who was suffering from acute psychosis. "Unfortunately, the delusion and paranoia associated with his illness got the better of him and my attempt to help Steve in his relapse came to a nightmarish end." |
| He said he was "overwhelmed" by the "unconditional support" he had received, including from "Linda and Steve's family, despite their intense grief". | He said he was "overwhelmed" by the "unconditional support" he had received, including from "Linda and Steve's family, despite their intense grief". |
| guardian.co.uk today is our daily snapshot of the top news stories, sent to your inbox at 8am |