The finance boss at one of Britain’s poshest schools died when a “game of slaps” with his teenage son went wrong, a coroner heard.
Wellington College bursar Malcolm Callender, 48, was larking around with son Ewan, 19, when he hit the lad with a “stinging slap”.
Army veteran Mr Callender then stood with his hands behind his back and said “right, you can have your free shot”.
Witnesses saw Ewan clench his fists before delivering the slap, which sent Mr Callender senior flying backwards before he hit his head on the road.
As bystanders rushed to help, Ewan was heard screaming: “Wake up Dad! Dad I love you!”
The son was arrested at the scene and left waiting for 18 months before the CPS decided not to prosecute him.
An inquest in Reading today heard Ewan had been reluctant to slap his bigger-built father, but “wanted to make his dad proud”.
The inquest heard the pair had been watching Malcolm’s team, Newcastle, at Yates and O’Neill bars, on April 12 last year when they started “horseplay” in Reading town centre.
CCTV footage in the bar showed Mr Callender senior raise his hand and strike his son, who went to retaliate but instead embraced his father, the inquest heard.
Giving evidence at the inquest Ewan said: “Dad slapped me around the face on the way out just because we were messing around. It is just normal. There was nothing aggressive about it.
– The Sun Uk
