An inquest into the death of David Carpenter has opened

A Coventry binman who tragically died on duty had “a huge heart,” an inquest has heard. David Carpenter, 60, was “loveable, warm, humble,” his stepdaughter told jurors today (9 April.)

Mr Carpenter, who worked for Coventry City Council as a bin collector, died on the January 19, 2023. He was lifted into a bin lorry compactor and suffered fatal injuries, area coroner Delroy Henry said in a case summary this morning.

The inquest into his death started today and is expected to be held over the next eight days. A jury will hear evidence and come to a conclusion on the facts of Mr Carpenter’s death including how he died.

Claire Chetwynd spoke about Mr Carpenter, her stepfather, at the inquest in Coventry this morning. She said that while he was only part of her life for eleven years, it felt like he had been there for her whole life.

He loved her mother “with all his heart” and the pair were engaged, she said, adding: “His death left a huge hole in her heart and a big gap in her life.” Mr Carpenter was a “loving dad” to his son and had 18 grandchildren in total, she told the jury.

“It really breaks my heart that David won’t get to see my son grow [up] and all his other grandchildren,” she said. She spoke of her stepfather’s “great passion” for fishing and how he loved going at weekends with his kids or the granchildren.

He “loved showing them how to cast a line, pull in a fish, put maggots in their mouths to warm them up,” said Mrs Chetwynd. Mr Carpenter also supported local events like the Godiva Festival, she added.

A binman from the age of 18, he had a “great work ethic” and was highly thought of by his colleagues, especially the crew he worked with every day, who “loved his obsession with Greggs sausage rolls,” Mrs Chetwynd said.

“He loved having a laugh, being cheerful, he always had a smile on his face,” she added. “He had a huge heart.

“It’s devastating as you can imagine for me to be sitting here, talking about him in a past tense.” The 19th of January last year, when they were told he had died and would not be coming home, was one of the hardest days of their life, she said.

“It is important that through this inquest we as a family gain answers as to how he came to his death,” she said, “and how other families can be prevented from feeling the pain and the loss that we are feeling.” CCTV footage of Mr Carpenter being lifted into the back of the bin lorry was later shown at the hearing. The inquest continues.