Man dies four years after being punched in head at Birmingham's Arcadian Centre
A man who died after being in a coma for almost four years after being punched in the head was unlawfully killed, a coroner ruled.
Arian Sadiq Tofiq, aged 24, died in Leabrook Nursing Home in Tipton on June 6.
Mr Tofiq, who was originally from Iraq, had been on a night out with friends in February 2012 when he was attacked in The Arca Bar in Birmingham's Arcadian Centre.
Although he was treated by paramedics at the scene on February 18, he returned home with no injuries.
The following day he was admitted to City Hospital after he felt light-headed and collapsed, Black Country Coroners Court heard. He was later transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital and then Leabrook Nursing Home with a 'serious brain injury' and never regained consciousness.
A police investigation was launched in 2012, with three men charged with section 18 wounding inflicting GBH.
However, the charges were later withdrawn due to inconsistency of evidence and new CCTV, the court heard.
Detective Sergeant Neil Hudson, from West Midlands Police Homicide team, said: "It is believed that Arian was dancing with a couple of girls and a man took an issue with that and started an argument. Within minutes Arian was punched to the back of his head, fell to the floor and was dragged out by security staff.
"It seemed to be an unprovoked assault.
"He stabilised but never regained consciousness and needed 24 hour care. Consultants said that if he has have woken up he would not have remembered what happened."
The cause of death given was consequences of an old head injury.
DS Hudson continued: "In terms of the investigation this is the longest inquiry I have been on. Anything that could have been done was done in those two and a half years following the incident so West Midlands Police do not propose to reopen the investigation."
Concluding a verdict of unlawful killing, Senior Coroner Zafar Siddique, said: "The extent of the head injury was not known at the time until a CT scan detailed how life threatening it was. Therefore he was unlawfully killed.
"This is a tragic set of circumstances and it may be prudent for police to look at this investigation again given the cause of death and the verdict of unlawful killing."
The Arca Bar has since closed.
