A DISABLED man died after trying to stop his 17-year-old grandson, who had a fling with a 38-year-old mother, from being the victim of a revenge attack.

Michael Bevan, 58, struggled from his wheelchair to protect Paul Geddes as three people burst into the man's Hampshire flat.

One of the men, Paul Johnson, pushed stroke victim Mr Bevan, who could barely walk, on to the floor, breaking his left hip.

The next day he was admitted to hospital, but contracted pneumonia and died eight days later.

Details of the revenge attack at Bishopstoke, near Eastleigh, emerged at an inquest in Winchester. Mid Hampshire Coroner Grahame Short, recording a verdict of accidental death, said: "His death would not have occurred if he had not been pushed and fallen to the ground that evening."

In a statement Mr Geddes said he had spent an evening with Emma Squibb's mother, 38 year-old Deborah, at her flat in Shirley, Southampton, a few days before the attack on Mr Bevan at Lofting Close.

Mr Geddes said he and Deborah were only friends but on this evening they drank a quantity of vodka and cider and he gave her several lovebites.

He said that Emma Squibb, accompanied by her boyfriend Johnson and friend Lamourna Gibbons tracked him down to his grandfather's flat.

He said the trio began kicking and punching him.

Home Office pathologist Allen Anscombe, who carried out the post mortem, told the inquest: "I concluded Mr Bevan had severe long standing chest problems and he was therefore somebody who was susceptible to chest infection.

"Indeed his chest was so bad the doctors could not operate on him when he arrived at hospital."

Mr Short said it would be inappropriate to record a verdict of unlawful killing as Johnson could not have anticipated his actions would result in Mr Bevan's death.

The inquest heard that Johnson was convicted at Winchester Crown court for grievous bodily harm following the attack two years ago.