Gary Lineker’s nephew-in-law death inquest to be next week

Teenage tree surgeon Jonty Parkinson of Coln St. Aldwyns, Cirencester, died in Eaton Hastings on September 6, 2024.

The inquest into his death was opened by senior coroner Darren Salter at Oxfordshire Coroner’s court on September 25 of that year.

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It has now been announced that the full inquest into the circumstances around Mr Parkinson’s death will be held next Monday, March 23.

Unusually, the inquest will be heard by a jury, which is a requirement when the coroner has reason to suspect either that the person died in custody or due to an act by police, or their death was caused by a notifiable accident, poisoning or disease.

Oxfordshire Coroner’s Court (Image: NQ)

The opening heard Mr Parkinson was working as a tree surgeon when he was struck by a falling tree.

His cause of death at post-mortem was given as crush injury to the abdomen.

According to national reports, the 18-year-old was the nephew-in-law of former Match of the Day host and famous England footballer Gary Lineker, from his marriage to his first wife Michelle.

At the time of Mr Parkinson’s death, the Daily Mail reported that Mr Lineker’s sons, George and Tobias, both paid tribute to their cousin on Instagram.

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The report said George Lineker posted and subsequently removed an Instagram story featuring a picture of himself with Mr Parkinson as a youngster, with a caption which said: “One of the nicest boys you’ll meet, taken far too soon. Fly high cousin, you’ll be missed by all.”

Meanwhile Tobias Lineker, 30, also posted a boyhood picture of Jonty smiling with a message, saying: ‘Taken from us far too soon, rest in peace little cousin.”

A Gofundme page was set up for Mr Parkinson’s family and raised more than £30,000.