A clubber boasted he hit a man so hard he fell over like a sack of potatoes, an inquest into the death of an accountant was told.

The new evidence came from one of the men originally questioned over Jay Abatan’s death 11 years ago.

Mr Abatan, 42, died from head injuries five days after he was involved in a dispute over a taxi outside the Ocean Rooms nightclub in Morley Street, Brighton, in 1999.

Graham Curtis and Peter Bell were charged with his manslaughter but the case against them was dropped through lack of evidence.

Mr Curtis, who suffered from depression, hanged himself four years later.

Nick Goddard was questioned by Mr Abatan's partner Tanya Haynes at the inquest into his death yesterday.

She asked him if there had been any conversation between those in the taxi when it left the Ocean Rooms following the attack.

Ms Haynes gasped and fought back tears when Mr Goddard replied: “I remember one thing quite specifically.

“Graham was boasting about how he hit someone so hard that he went down like a sack of potatoes.”

The inquest continues.

For full coverage see today's Argus.