A DISTRAUGHT mother asked three people at an inquest if they killed her son.

Sam Garcia, 26, was found by paramedics on his back near a caravan at Bullers Farm, Clockhouse Road, Little Burstead, at 3.50am on May 6 last year.

Mr Garcia, girlfriend Laura Cresswell and her brothers Lee and Darren Matthews went to the farmat about 5pm the previous day, Chelmsford Coroners’ Court heard.

Mr Garcia’s mum, Karen Young, asked each of the former murder suspects in court if they killed her son.

Darren Matthews, 31, from Canning Town, replied no before his solicitor advised he make no comment.

Laura Cresswell, 35, from East Ham, said from the public gallery: “Tell the truth.

No one murdered Sam.”

Lee Matthews, 30, from Canning Town, said no, but refused to comment when she asked how her son sustained the injuries.

The three former murder suspects told an inquest they had no idea how he ended up with fatal head injuries outside the caravan he “drunkenly trashed”.

A statement by Darren Matthews described how they put up metal feeding rings in the stables before having a barbecue and drinking.

He said: “Sam seemed to flip out and pulled off a wardrobe and smashed things up. He picked up a kettle and threw it at Laura.”

Mr Matthews said he got his brother to help with the “commotion”.

“I went to see if it was OK and sawSam on the floor outside,”

he added.

He said they phoned for an ambulance.

Coroner Eleanor McGann asked if he sawhow Mr Garcia ended up on the ground. He said no and refused to answer further questions.

PC Susan Powell arrived at the scene just before 4am.

She said Miss Cresswell had blood around her right eye and cheek.

She said: “She said she fell.

When I asked what happened, she said nothing.

Then she said they had an argument and Sam smashed up the caravan and threw a kettle at her. He walked out then fell and hit his head.”

The three were arrested on suspicion of murder, but released without charge this May.

DCI Mark Hall said officers found Mr Garcia with an injury above his right eye.

There was no CCTV at the farm and forensic examinations failed to identify any murder weapon.

In the absence of forensic evidence, a fall causing the fracture could not be ruled out with other injuries sustained separately.

Coroner Eleanor McGann said: “The only one verdict I can return is an open verdict.”