Drug gang leader Matthew Xavier inquest after Suffolk death

Matthew Xavier died at the age of 65 at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds in December last year.

An inquest into Mr Xavier’s death was opened at Suffolk Coroners' Court in July last year by Senior Coroner for Suffolk Nigel Parsley.

On Friday, Mr Parsley adjourned a full inquest until April. It is expected that the inquest will happen over the course of April 23 and April 24.

The court heard that Mr Xavier had been feeling unwell for a number of weeks, complaining of shortness of breath and a decreased appetite. 

He was taken to West Suffolk Hospital, where scans showed that he had stage four bronchogenic carcinoma, a form of lung cancer.

Mr Xavier remained in West Suffolk Hospital until he died on December 16.

The court heard that Mr Xavier’s family have raised concerns that he had not been given treatment sooner. 

Mr Xavier had been jailed in March 2018 for 12 years for attacking two drug addicts as they waited in a parked car in Dereham to buy crack cocaine.

While the pair were distracted by one of Mr Xavier’s associates, he approached from the other direction, opened the car door and began to attack them with a screwdriver and a pair of scissors. 

Matthew Xavier was jailed for 12 years in 2018. Image: Norfolk Police (Image: Norfolk Police)

One of the men was dragged into a nearby alleyway, where he was punched and stabbed. The other was stabbed in the lower back but managed to escape. 

On March 23, 2018, Mr Xavier pleaded guilty to two counts of grievous bodily harm and one count of attempting to pervert the course of justice. He was jailed for 12 years. 

He was described as “the leader of one of mid Norfolk's biggest drug gangs”.