Footie fan Craig Hodkinson falls 50ft to his death trying to escape car park on night out as grieving family pay tribute
A MAN fell to his death trying to escape from a car park on a night out, an inquest has heard.
Manchester United fan Craig Hodkinson, 33, plunged 50ft into the River Croal in Bolton in the early hours of September 13 of last year.
Craig's body was pulled from the river behind the car park four days later.
Bolton Coroner's Court yesterday heard how he became "trapped" after a night out in the town centre.
He spent the hours prior to his death drinking at a number of pubs around Bolton.
Craig "bumped into" acquaintance Elliott Riley at the Swan and Barristers pub.
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The pair left the pub at 1am and went to Mr Riley's flat in nearby Stone Cross House.
Craig left the flat at around 4am as Mr Riley had to get up for work later that morning.
Mr Riley said he offered to phone a taxi for Craig but he insisted on walking home.
footage showed Mr Hodkinson leaving the flat and entering the lift within the building.
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But after the door failed to close, Craig got out of the lift and mistakenly walked through an exit into a car park at the back of the building.
He tried to leave through the vehicular exit but was unable to do so.
Craig then began walking around the car park in search for another way out.
The inquest heard that a fob was required to leave the car park and while there was a buzzer available, Craig did not attempt to use it.
Mr Riley, who had gone to bed, said he was unaware that Craig had become stuck as they did not have contact details for one another.
The footage then showed Craig climbing over a fence at the rear of the car park.
But as he walked along a narrow ledge overlooking the river, he fell and suffered "unsurvivable injuries".
Craig was reported missing later that day after his father, Robert, visited his flat and found he was not there.
Robert Hodkinson told the inquest: "I knew then that something was not right."
Pathologist Dr Ravindra Sawant gave Craig's cause of death as "polytrauma".
He said a post-mortem examination revealed serious injuries to Craig's left leg and the left side of his head, adding that he would have died upon impact.
Toxicology tests revealed Craig was more than two-and-a-half times over the legal drink drive limit for alcohol.
His sister Lisa-Marie paid tribute to her "brilliant" and "beautiful" brother.
She said: "My beautiful baby brother is now at peace. He was a son, a brother and an uncle.
"He had many friends from Manchester and Bolton and was brilliant. He was never in trouble or caused any trouble.
"All his friends who knew him loved him just as much as his family.
"He has gone too soon however he is at peace now and flying high looking out for all his family. He is with his family members in heaven.
"We will always love you r'kid. You will always be the golden child of the Hodkinson family."
Craig's other sister Claire also organised a fundraiser for his funeral.
She wrote: "He was a beautiful soul who would never hurt a fly. Never even had an argument or said a bad word about anyone.
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"He just kept himself to himself and he's taken a piece of our heart when he chose to leave us.
"He had so much life to live. He was too young. I hope and pray your at peace now Craig."