This is the moment police arrested a suspect on suspicion of murder following the death of a “dearly loved” man left paraplegic in an Essex street attack ten years ago.
Stuart Coldicott, then 36, sustained serious head injuries in Colchester town centre on February 11, 2014.
But his family said he “never lost his naughty sense of humour that put a smile on everyone’s faces”.
Mr Coldicott, affectionately known as “Stewie”, required a high level of complex daily care until he sadly died aged 46 in March this year.
A post-mortem examination identified a causal link between his head injury and death.
As a result, a fresh “cold case” investigation was launched.
Essex Police said a number of new lines of enquiry and fresh evidence were uncovered which led to a 61-year-old man being arrested in Colchester on Monday morning.
In a statement, Mr Coldicott’s relatives said he was a “dearly loved brother, brother-in-law, uncle, great-uncle, son and friend to everyone that knew him”.
They added: “Stewie sustained a serious head injury, which resulted in him become a paraplegic.
“Although this horrific incident happened to him, he never lost his naughty sense of humour that put a smile on everyone’s faces. Nobody could replace him, and he will always remain in our hearts.
“All the family members and friends will greatly miss Stewie very much and our mischievous family member is gone from this world but not from our hearts.”
At the time, officers focused their efforts in the Barrack Street and Harsnett Road areas and examined many hours of the CCTV network which was available at the time.
A mobile police station was also placed in the town centre as a focal point for people to provide information.
A man was later convicted of assaulting Mr Coldicott in a beating which pre-dated the February 11 incident.
Detective Inspector Lydia George, of the Kent and Essex’s serious crime directorate, said: “First and foremost, the injuries which Stuart sustained in 2014 had a significant and long-lasting impact on him and of course his family, who continue to live with that impact to this day.
“When Stuart died and a causal link to the head injury on February 11, 2014 was established, we began treating his death as a homicide and our fresh investigation was launched.
“And as part of that investigation, this morning we have arrested a man on suspicion of murder, and he remains in custody to be questioned.
“We will also be speaking to a number of people who we’re considering as witnesses to gather additional information and accounts.”
DI George added: “Since the launch of this new investigation, we have identified a number of new lines of enquiry and new evidence which has ultimately led to the arrest we’ve made this morning.
“We’ve remained in consistent contact with Stuart’s family, and they are aware of today’s arrest.
“They also know that we will take the time that this complex investigation requires and deserves.”
