THE distraught family of a disabled man who died less than a fortnight after he was attacked by two teenagers may never know what caused his death, after an inquest delivered an open verdict.

But relatives of Scott Hall still believe the attack was the catalyst that led to the death of their 'gentle giant'.

Mr Hall of Framwellgate Moor, near Durham, died at the University Hospital of North Durham on August 4, 2014, as a result of a bleed on the brain.

Eleven days earlier he had been assaulted by two 15-year-old boys who punched him to the ground and repeatedly kicked him as he walked to the shops in Newton Hall.

One of the attackers later changed his Facebook profile to ‘full-time killer’ but neither was charged over the death, a decision heavily criticised by Mr Hall’s family.

They were subsequently convicted of assault causing actual bodily harm and given community service orders.

Senior Coroner Andrew Tweddle said it was "difficult to say how significant a part" the assault played in Mr Hall’s death as a number of factors may have contributed.

The inquest, at Crook Civic Centre, County Durham, heard Mr Hall had been admitted to hospital two days earlier after being found lying, unresponsive at the foot of the stairs at home.

The 28-year-old was prone to falls and had epilepsy since developing Rasmussen’s Syndrome after he was hit in the face by a football as a child.

He had also been drinking alcohol.

Temporary Detective Superintendent Victoria Fuller, of Durham police, said damage to a curtain pole and handrail led her to believe Mr Hall had fallen down the stairs on the evening he was found.

Home Office pathologist Dr Nigel Cooper said the fatal bleed was most likely caused by a fall shortly before death but it was possible a clot began to form following the assault.

He said a neuropathologist examined the brain injury and found some of the blood clot had been there some time - possibly from the day of the assault, but most was as a result of an injury on August 2.

But Mr Hall’s mother Carol, with whom he lived, said she doubted he fell down the stairs as he had no reason to go upstairs and items nearby such as coats on the banister were undisturbed.

Senior coroner for County Durham and Darlington, Andrew Tweddle, said there were too many imponderables to be clear what happened.

He said his pre-existing condition, a fit or alcohol may have contributed to a fall at home and the assault could have been a factor.

Recording an open conclusion, he said: “When there are so many imponderables it makes it very difficult to wield one of those factors against another.

“What I can say with certainty is that there isn’t sufficient evidence that the assault directly led to his death.”

Following the inquest, Mrs Hall said: “I would have liked something more positive, but when I’ve heard everything I know how he came up with an open verdict. We’ve gone through lots of scenarios and still believe it has been the assault.”

Mr Hall’s sister Zoe Hall, 25, of Witton Gilbert, said during the inquest that her brother had not had a fit for about six months until after the assault, when he also complained about headaches and became less agile.

She added that her 'gentle giant' brother’s wishes to be an organ donor were carried out, including the donation of his brain for medical research, and £1,000 compensation is being donated charities including he RSPCA in his memory.