Cancer patient died after attack in hospital

A cancer patient died after being attacked by an illegal immigrant as he slept in his hospital bed.

Pensioner Anthony Wilson was grabbed by the throat as he lay recovering from an operation to remove part of his bowel.

The Iranian man - who had been in the bed next to 78-year-old Mr Wilson after complaining of breathing difficulties - had to be pulled off by UK Border Agency guards. He was immediately returned to the immigration removal centre, where he is awaiting deportation.

A post-mortem examination concluded Mr Wilson died of septicaemia but an inquest will now determine whether the assault at Hillingdon Hospital in Uxbridge this month was a contributory factor.

His brother Jeffrey, 68, told the Mail on Sunday: "I have lost my brother, who was my right-hand man. He used to do everything for me and I miss him. Someone may have taken his life away from him so I want to know the truth.

"All I know is that Anthony woke up and he said the man had his hands round his neck and that someone must have pulled him off. He wasn't all that good. He just said he didn't feel all that right."

Scotland Yard is not treating the death as suspicious. A UK Border Agency spokesman said: "We are reviewing this incident. The detainee was handcuffed and accompanied by three escorts when it occurred."