A courageous and inspiring survivor of a horrific axe attack was tragically found dead six years after the brutal assault that drastically altered his life.
Cameron Brooksbank, 24, affectionately known as Cam by his family and friends, was sadly pronounced dead after being discovered unresponsive at a property in Middleton, Greater Manchester on June 18 last year. At the time of his death, he had a combination of prescription drugs and cocaine in his system, but a coroner has ruled out suicide.
Cameron was 17 years old when he was assaulted in the street in Rochdale in October 2017. An inquest into his death at Rochdale Coroner's Court on Wednesday (May 15) revealed that he was deeply affected by the attack and never fully recovered from it. During the incident, Cameron, who was working as a tree surgeon, tried to intervene in a road rage dispute in an attempt to calm the situation. He was hit with an axe in the armpit and then on the wrist as he attempted to protect his head from another strike.
His hand was partially reattached, but he needed five more surgeries over the next two years just to regain 60 percent functionality of his arm. The assault and subsequent trial were later featured in the TV series The Detectives, which followed the dedicated organised crime unit of Greater Manchester Police in Rochdale, reports the Manchester Evening News.
At an emotional inquest, Cameron's grandfather, Fred Higgin, revealed the lasting scars left by a brutal axe attack on his grandson, saying: "He never got over the event, none of us did. He was devastated by that axe attack. He would never get himself back." The court was told how Cameron turned to cocaine as a form of self-medication following the attack, although his family believed he had ceased using before his untimely death.
Fred Higgin described Cameron's fluctuating state since the start of 2023 during his testimony to Senior Coroner Joanne Kearsley, noting a significant positive shift after Cameron found love, saying he was 'up and down' but ultimately 'stronger' and reverting to his former self.
However, the revelation of Cameron's sudden death left everyone in disbelief, with Mr Higgin expressing it as a 'complete and utter shock'. Discussing Cameron's reluctance to share his feelings, Mr Higgin added: "Cam was protective of people around him. When they say it's good to talk, Cam was the opposite of that. He was in his mind a man's man. He never told us what happened that day, he couldn't talk about it."
Mr Higgin said Cameron received some CBT therapy but that it did not help and he found it 'very distressing.' The inquest heard that Cameron had taken two overdoses prior to his death. Mr Higgin and Cameron's mum Clair Grundy said they were not aware of the second overdose until the inquest.
Cameron's mother, Clair, told the court that her son was mercilessly bullied on the building sites where he worked following a brutal assault. She said: "What broke my heart was at the sites he would work on the men would be very cruel and used to call him 'one hand bandit'. The bullying on those sites was dreadful after everything he had been through."
Ms Grundy added: "It was like the world was against him", and said Cameron 'hated' his scars and people staring at them. She said before his death Cameron was prescribed a new antidepressant to help with his depression. Ms Grundy said she saw Cameron on the day before his death (June 17) and said he was 'a bit fed up' but 'not overly down'.
Ms Grundy said she texted Cameron on the evening of June 17 and he replied to say he had to 'get his head down' as he had work early the next morning and that she responded saying 'alright, god bless. I love you.' In a written statement read to the inquest, Cameron's girlfriend said she last saw Cameron at 6.17pm the day before he died and that he told her he was dropping his step brother off and meeting a friend and would then come home.
She said she tried to contact Cameron on June 18 but did not get a response. She said to her knowledge Cameron had taken drugs 'a few years ago' but had stopped. Detective Inspector Samantha Hague who attended the address where Cameron was found on June 18, told the inquest she did not find any 'letters of intent' at the property that would have suggested an intentional overdose.
She said cocaine was found in the living room and prescription drugs were found on a bed upstairs. Asked by coroner Kearsley whether she had any concerns Cameron had taken 'an excess in his medication' she said no. The inquest heard a toxicology report found cocaine, oxycodone, pregabalin, diazepam, amitriptyline and mirtazapine in Cameron's system and that all of the drugs were prescribed with the exception of cocaine.
Coroner Kearsley recorded Cameron's cause of death as mixed drugs use (cocaine, oxycodone, pregabalin, diazepam, amitriptyline and mirtazapine) and Bronchopneumonia and concluded he died as a result of misadventure. She said there was 'no evidence; Cameron intended to end his life.'
During the inquest, Ms Grundy read a statement and tribute to Cameron in which she described him as her 'best friend'. She said: "The day he died was the day I died inside. He was and is loved by so many people. He had the biggest heart of gold and was so loving and caring, a true hero. I am so exceptionally proud and it's an honour to be his mum. Throughout these last few years since the axe attack it completely changed his life, but the strength and bravery he showed was outstanding," she added.
Following the inquest, Mr Higgin and Ms Grundy said they 'knew' Cameron had not intended to take his own life. Mr Higgin said: "I'm pleased because so many people jumped to the conclusion that he committed suicide and if he had it would have been as though we let him down and we hadn't."
Ms Grundy said: "No one knows what he went through that day [ the day of the attack] and the scars of it. It was horrendous everything he's been through, it's so sad. He was in constant agony. He suffered, it completely changed his life that attack."
In a statement following the inquest, Greater Manchester Police said: "Cameron's immense bravery captured the nation's heart and helped to bring justice to criminals who were a serious risk to the community. We will always remain grateful for his pivotal role in that case, and the support of his family during that time. Following Cameron's inquest, our thoughts and condolences remain with his family and loved ones."
Cameron's attacker Mohammed Awais Sajid, known as 'Skinny', of Kings Road, Rochdale was one of four men jailed for the axe attack in 2019. Sajid was jailed for 18 years after being found guilty of section 18 wounding. Last year he lost a bid to overturn his conviction. Habibur Rahman , who summoned Sajid to the scene, was also handed a prison sentence of four-and-a-half years on an assault charge.
Rahman's brother, Zillur Rahman, 29, was jailed for three years for conspiracy to commit violent disorder after he admitted making phone calls to summon the gang. Arsan Ali, 23, who was among those he called and attended the scene, was jailed for four years after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit violent disorder.