“A GOOD friend” and “the best” father who died after he was restrained by holiday park security staff is still missed by his friends and family, an inquest heard.

Paul Gladwell, 38, died in hospital after he was restrained and arrested at a Pontins holiday park, near Lowestoft, in February 2017.

A jury inquest at Suffolk Coroner’s Court opened yesterday.

The inquest heard police arrived at the holiday park shortly after Mr Gladwell was restrained by staff, placing him in handcuffs and putting him into a police van.

The jury first heard evidence from Mr Gladwell’s mother, Carol Hurst, who described how he received a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome at a time “when it wasn’t recognised as it is now.”

She described how during his childhood, Mr Gladwell “couldn’t stand” to be on his own, and had “built himself up” physically after he was bullied.

Mrs Hurst said her son had lived at home until the age of 20, when he moved to supported accommodation in Magdalen Green, Colchester.

The inquest heard Mr Gladwell took frequent holidays in the UK and had been to the Pontins holiday park “three or four times” before with his girlfriend of seven years Carrie Bennett.

Recounting the holiday in 2017, Ms Bennett told the jury she had become concerned over a child hitting her son.

She said this concern this culminated in her making a comment to the child’s parent in a communal area of the holiday park.

She said: “I told Paul I’m going to say something. He said to leave it.”

The jury heard Ms Bennett approached the parent, making the comment: “Can you do me a favour and have a word with your brat kid? She keeps coming over and smacking my boy.”

She said the situation “just escalated from there”, telling the jury she believed security staff “saw Paul and judged him as he was hench”.

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She said when he was carried out to the police van his head was “flopping forwards”.

Ms Bennett said she was told he was asleep, but insisted she did not believe this was the case as her partner “snores when he is asleep.”

The inquest is expected to last around four weeks.

The inquest heard evidence from Dale Prentice, Mr Gladwell’s support worker and close friend, who became emotional when describing the moment he heard about his pal’s death.

“I was very distressed because he was a good friend,” he said.

“I would be lying if I didn’t say I have thought about him every day even now, because he was a gentle giant.

“If you saw Paul, you probably would get the wrong impression of him, but he was just there for us.”

Mr Prentice said he would help Mr Gladwell, who was unable to work, with his reading, writing and daily tasks.

“He was extremely tidy,” he said.

“Even coming over to other tenants, he would get their hoover out if he had a chance - he loved his cleaning.”

Ms Bennett said: “He was the best man I ever met.

“He was the best dad I could ever have asked for for my kids.”

Throughout the inquest the jury will hear evidence detailing Mr Gladwell’s personal background and how he came to restrained.

It will hear also hear evidence about the response of Pontins security, the method of restraint used and on compliance with policy around restraint.