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Former suspect in Abatan case dies |
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One
of the original suspects in the unsolved case of a Sussex man killed after a fight
outside a nightclub has been found dead. Graham Curtis was charged with the
manslaughter of Jay Abatan, who died in 1999, but the charges were dropped
before reaching court. After the case against Mr Curtis and
another man collapsed, Sussex Police said they were not looking for anyone
else over the death. Mr Curtis, 41, was found dead at his home
in Port Hall Road in Brighton at the weekend by a member of his family. Argument over taxi Police say they are not treating the death
as suspicious. Mr Abatan, an accountant from Eastbourne,
with two young children by his long-term partner, was on a night out in
Brighton with his brother Michael when he was attacked on 23 January 1999.
After leaving the Ocean
Rooms nightclub an argument broke out when the brothers and their friends
tried to get into a taxi. Believing the taxi to be theirs, Mr Abatan
asked two men inside it to get out, while two other men stood beside him. His brother Michael then saw Jay fall to
the floor. 'Very sad news' Forensic reports showed he had received at
least one blow to his face and a fractured skull from when he hit the
pavement. He died five days later. Statements passed to the BBC and confirmed
by Sussex Police revealed one of the two men standing next to Mr Abatan was
Graham Curtis.
Since the charges against
the two men were dropped nobody else has been arrested by police over the
death and Mr Abatan's inquest has still not taken place. Michael Abatan has run a campaign in his
brother's memory called Justice for Jay. He told BBC South East he was saddened to
hear of Mr Curtis' death. "I think it's very sad news for Graham
Curtis' family. "I would have hoped that he would have
found the courage to come forward and say exactly what happened to Jay."
Sussex Police said the investigation into
Jay Abatan's death was still open. |
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I would have hoped that he would have
found the courage to come forward and say exactly what happened to Jay 
