A SUPERMARKET security man died after treading on a clothing security tag, an inquest heard yesterday .Diabetic Raymond Hastie , 59, developed blood poisoning and died three months after the security pin pricked his foot while working a shift at Tesco.

A SUPERMARKET security man died after treading on a clothing security tag, an inquest heard.

Diabetic Raymond Hastie , 59, developed blood poisoning and died three months after the security pin pricked his foot while working a shift at Tesco.

His distraught wife Beryl, 59, is taking legal action against bosses of the store in their home town of Chelmsford.

An inquest at Chelmsford Coroner's Court on Wednesday heard how Mr Hastie, who had been a security guard with the firm for a year, only noticed his wound after arriving home on January 28 last year and discovering his sock was soaked with blood.

He also found a pin - part of a security device used by shops to tag clothes to prevent them being stolen.

The inquest heard Mr Hastie returned to work the next day but his foot became swollen and he eventually visited a hospital A&E department where an x-ray showed there was no sign of infection.

Mrs Hastie told the inquest: “Ray came home from work. He had been working an early shift from 6.30am to 3.30pm. He removed his shoes and socks and found them soaked with blood and found the pin.”

She said that about three weeks later on February 17 the wound still had not healed and appeared to be getting worse so he returned to the Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford.

Doctors discovered infection from the wound in his foot had spread to the bone and they amputated his big toe.

He returned home after the surgery but in March Mrs Hastie found her husband in a comatose state, which she thought was caused by his diabetes.

The security guard was rushed to intensive care and doctors diagnosed septicaemia, saying the blood poisoning had spread from his foot, the inquest heard.

Surgeons amputated his right leg below the knee to try and stop the blood poisoning but his condition deteriorated. He was put on a ventilator and was described as being “drowsy”.

Mrs Hastie added: “The doctor explained the infection had spread up both legs and the heart was unable to cope any longer.

“They could keep him out of pain but that was all they could do and he slipped away that evening.”

Essex Assistant Deputy Coroner Chinyere Inyama said Mr Hastie had died on April 2 from an infection aggravated by his diabetes.

Giving a narrative verdict, he said: “Having heard all the evidence this is my verdict. The disease occurred due to a relatively minor injury in his foot and despite surgical intervention this developed into septicaemia.

“Due to complications arising from his diabetes he died of multiple system failure.”

Speaking after the inquest Mrs Hastie said: “I am taking legal action against Tesco at the moment.”

A Tesco spokesman said: “We would express our sympathy to Mr Hastie's family. He'd been at the store for a year and was a well known and quite popular member of staff who is still missed.”

He said Tesco admitted Mr Hastie had stood on a security tag pin, but did not know how much it contributed to his death.