AN IRISHMAN HAS died after falling from the back of a moving taxi in London.
Pádraig O’Dea, originally from Kilmaine in Ballinrobe, county Mayo, died in hospital yesterday morning.
Tributes have poured in for the 26 year old who had been living and working in London for almost two years.
While there, he played for local GAA team, Kingdom Kerry Gaels. In a post on its website, the club said he was “held in high regard”.
“One of life’s true gentlemen and characters he was a very dedicated member of the senior team panel for the past couple of years, winning the Senior Championship, Senior League and Conway Cup with us in 2013, which was a source of huge pride to him,” a statement read.
To Padraig’s Mum and Dad Gerry and Teresa, his brother Gearoid and his wider circle of family and friends, we extend our deepest sympathy at this sad time. Please remember them all in your prayers. Rest in Peace Padraig, from all your friends at KKG, you will be missed but always remembered. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
City police were called to the scene of the incident at Alexandra Avenue in Harrow at 1.05am on Sunday morning.
When they arrived, paramedics were treating O’Dea, who had suffered life-threatening head injuries after falling onto the road.
He later died in a central London hospital.
Police have launched an appeal for information, believing the young GAA player was “part of a group of males and females who were close to a Renault Traffic minicab parked outside Dominos Pizza on Alexandra Avenue”.
According to Met Police, the “minicab subsequently drove away southbound but after a short distance the driver realised the rear tailgate was open and a man was rolling on the road behind the vehicle”.
The driver returned to the injured man and has not been arrested.
At this stage of the inquiry, police are not clear how the deceased man ended up in the vehicle. They wish to speak to the other people who were in that group at the time.
“We know this man was with a group of what appeared to be friends or colleagues moments before he was injured. He has now died and I would urge anyone with information to come forward so that we can establish the precise events,” Detective Sergeant Chris Osborne said.
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