A man who was left paralysed and brain-damaged after a scuffle with police and nightclub doormen 12 years ago has died, aged 31. Julian Cole suffered a broken neck and a severe spinal injury after he was "taken to the ground" by police outside a nightclub in Bedford in May 2013. Three Bedfordshire Police officers, who lied about the incident, weresacked in 2018after being found guilty of misconduct. Mr Cole, who was aged 19 at the time, had been living in a "minimally conscious state" and died on 7 March 2025,according to his family's lawyers Bindmans. In 2024, his family agreed an out-of-court settlement of £1.2m with the police, in which the force did not accept liability. No criminal charges have been brought over Mr Cole's injuries. Mr Cole was studying sport science at the University of Bedfordshire when he went to Elements nightclub with friends. He was told to leave, but kept trying to get back in to the club, leading to staff calling the police. He was "taken to the ground" by a bouncer and police, before being cuffed with "his face on ground",a police misconduct hearing was told. PCs Nicholas Oates, Sanjeev Kalyan and Hannah Ross lifted him from the ground and took him to the police station, where they called an ambulance. Paramedics arrived to discover Mr Cole was not breathing, and later discovered a broken vertebra at hospital. The three officers claimed Mr Cole had been able to walk and get into the police van, but CCTV showed he had to be carried, with his legs dragging on the ground and head hanging down. A High Court judge, whileapproving the out-of-court settlement, said: "The matter was compounded by a concerted attempt on behalf of the police officers involved to falsify their account of events." The solicitors firm said Mr Cole was born in north-west London in 1993 and was a passionate Arsenal fan. He started his degree at the university in 2012. He had been living in a care home since his injuries, and died at Northwick Park Hospital, near Harrow. Bindmans said: "Julian's friends had visited him in hospital the day before he died, and his mother Claudia and brother Claudius were at his bedside. "The family have now been notified by the North London Coroner that he has commenced an investigation into the causes of Julian's death." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news onBBC Sounds,Facebook,InstagramandX.
Man dies 12 years after arrest left him paralysed
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"Julian Cole, Paralyzed After Police Incident, Dies at Age 31"
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TruthLens AI Summary
Julian Cole, a 31-year-old man who suffered life-altering injuries after a confrontation with police and nightclub staff in Bedford in May 2013, has died. Cole was left paralyzed and brain-damaged following a broken neck and severe spinal injury sustained during the incident, which occurred when he was 19 years old. At that time, he had been trying to re-enter the Elements nightclub after being ejected. The police were called to the scene, and during the altercation, Cole was forcefully taken to the ground by a bouncer and police officers. Despite being in a severe medical state when paramedics arrived, the officers initially claimed that he had walked to the police van, a statement contradicted by CCTV footage showing him being carried with his legs dragging on the ground. The misconduct of the officers involved led to their dismissal in 2018, as they were found guilty of lying about the events that transpired that night.
For over a decade, Cole lived in a minimally conscious state and had been residing in a care home since his injuries. His family reached an out-of-court settlement with Bedfordshire Police in 2024, amounting to £1.2 million, although the police did not admit liability for the incident. The High Court judge overseeing the settlement highlighted the officers' attempts to falsify their accounts of the events that led to Cole's injuries. Cole, a passionate Arsenal fan and a former sport science student at the University of Bedfordshire, passed away on March 7, 2025, with family members by his side at Northwick Park Hospital. Following his death, the North London Coroner has initiated an investigation into the causes surrounding his passing, marking a tragic conclusion to the long-lasting impact of the incident on Cole and his family.
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