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A family has described its heartache after their son died in a “disturbance”. Bevan Rainbow, 26, died in Cumberland Road, Brighton, in the early hours of December 23, 2023. Bevan’s mother, Dawn Matthews, said her family was “broken” following the loss of her son in a statement read out at his inquest yesterday, March 25, at Woodvale Coroners Court.
She said the day Bevan died was “the day her world stopped”. Ms Matthews said: “We were a close family. Bevan was a highly intelligent person.
“He enjoyed cars and driving. Work was just a means to get money to do the things he enjoyed. “He was planning to go on to university to study physics.
He was positive about the future. Bevan Rainbow (Image: GoFundMe) “Music was also an interest.” “We’re all still broken.
We loved him very much and miss him dreadfully.” On December 23, 2023, Bevan was involved in an incident in the car park of Sainsbury’s in Preston Road, Brighton. At the time of the incident, the driver of the vehicle was arrested on suspicion of murder, however he was later released without charge.
A summary of the driver’s interview with police was read out to the court. It stated that the van was parked in the car park of Sainsbury’s in Preston Road, Brighton, while he withdrew cash from an ATM. After returning to the van, he noticed “a male stood about an arms length away looking at him”.
READ MORE: Teen accused of stabbing man in graveyard says he 'tried to defend himself' The inquest, which opened in January 2024, heard that the man, believed to be Bevan, asked the driver of the van “where they were going” multiple times, before the driver “gave him a shove backwards” and closed the door. It was reported that Bevan continued to open the van door with the driver closing it again “four or five times”, before the driver reversed the van and exited the car park, driving off up Cumberland Road. The driver told police he believed Bevan was still in the car park and denied any knowledge of him being injured.
A passer-by found Bevan lying seriously injured in Cumberland Road shortly after the incident and urged others to call emergency services, who arrived after 5am. Detective constable Naomi O’Keeffe said the passer-by reported seeing a van “driving erratically in the Sainsbury’s car park”, while the ambulance service initially believed the incident was a hit and run. Ms O’Keeffe also stated that there was a lack of forensic evidence on the van, with officers only finding three hairs that appeared to have been “naturally shed” and did not return a DNA profile, meaning there was “no evidence that the van drove over him”.
The detective constable said it was the senior investigating officer’s conclusion that “there was no clear evidence that the driver had committed a criminal act”. Officers in Cumberland Road (Image: Sussex News and Pictures) Ms Matthews described how Bevan faced a number of mental health issues, including anxiety and bouts of depression, and that he believed he suffered with ADHD, which remained undiagnosed. The court heard that Bevan would take drugs such as ketamine to self medicate this.
Ms Matthews said that Bevan had conducted research on the issues he faced and was “very knowledgeable about neuroscience”. “His dad and I were always talking to him about medication and support”, she added. It was also stated that Bevan suffered from psychosis associated with drug use and that he was sectioned twice.
Bevan was under the care of the Early Intervention in Psychosis Service through the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. On December 22, 2023, Ms Matthews and Bevan’s father, Adrian Rainbow, were unable to contact their son. Ms Matthews visited Bevan’s flat where she found him “looking out of it” and slightly “catatonic”.
Ms Matthews said she believed if he had received better mental health support and medication, Bevan would “still be alive today”. Coroner Alicia Keen said: “On December 23, 2023, Bevan Rainbow was seen in Sainsbury’s car park running alongside a large van. “He was opening the door.
“A witness saw the door opening and shutting a number of times. “The driver of the van then reversed. The driver drove forward initially at some speed and then went off down Cumberland Road.
“Bevan was found by a witness on Cumberland Road. “He had serious head injuries. “Police were unable to find any forensic contact with the van.
There is no evidence he was hit or run over by the van. “He may have fallen as the van drove away. “He had a number of agencies which were giving him a significant amount of support.
“This is just an unfortunate set of circumstances where he may have been having a psychotic episode but he may have been completely mistaken about who he was communicating with.” Ms Keen stated Bevan’s cause of death was a severe traumatic brain injury and recorded it as an accident..
