Jason Gregory died after being 'inappropriately restrained'

Jason Gregory, 44, suffered a heart attack and died four days later in hospital

A man died after being "restrained in an inappropriate manner" during a disturbance near a nightclub, a coroner has said.

Father-of-four Jason Gregory, 44, died from a heart attack after a fight in Vernon Walk, Southampton on 6 May 2017.

Security guards had made a radio call to Southampton Citywatch to request "urgent police attendance".

However, according to a report this was refused, which led to a delay in getting medical help for Mr Gregory.

According to the report by Grahame Short, senior coroner for Southampton and the New Forest, Mr Gregory was restrained by at least two door security staff and was held around his neck for part of the time.

When they contacted the Citywatch CCTV control room for back-up, they were told to call 999 instead.

'Brain damage'

The report concluded Mr Gregory's cardiac arrest was likely to have been caused by the "combined and delayed effects" of neck compression, Mr Gregory resisting being restrained and alcohol and drugs intoxication.

Coroner Mr Short said: "Jason Gregory died due to the fact that he was restrained in an inappropriate manner after behaving aggressively in a public place whilst being intoxicated.

"There was a delay before he received the urgent medical treatment he required, during which time he suffered irreversible hypoxic brain damage."

Mr Short said he was concerned that in an emergency situation, during busy times, details were not being relayed to Hampshire police by the Citywatch control room in a "timely way", which may cause delays in officers attending, so putting the public "at risk of death or serious injury".

Southampton City Council, which runs the Citywatch partnership, said it had reissued guidance to its members on the use of the radio system.

It insisted it had responded to the coroner, although the coroner's office said neither the council nor the police had replied to the report, which was issued to them on 21 February.

The BBC has approached the police and the security guards' firm, Synergy Security, for comment.