The Isle of Wight's coroner has asked colleagues in France to investigate the possibility of a murder charge, against a man convicted of the attempted murder of a young mechanic from Cowes.

Rhys David Peacey survived against the odds in February 2017, when a car deliberately crashed into him while he was living and working in Chamonix in the Alps.

He suffered catastrophic injuries.

Just over three years after that incident, the 'young man with a bright future' died after accidentally choking on a piece of meat.

In the early hours of May 10, 2020, Mr Peacey suffered a seizure, as the result of epilepsy that was caused by a brain injury sustained when the car had hit him.

Paramedics and doctors were unable dislodge the piece of food in time to save him.

After the incident in 2017, Mr Peacey was left with with partial paralysis and sight loss, as well as communication problems.

He suffered multiple seizures that were, at times, uncontrollable and required visits to hospital.

In February 2017, Rhys was among a group of men who stepped in when one of their female friends was punched, the inquest heard.

There was a fight and later a car was driven at the group.

Two of them were hit, but Mr Peacey took the full impact, suffering injuries so significant that he was not expected to survive.

An emergency operation on Mr Peacey's brain meant he had to have a titanium plate fixed to his skull.

At hospital in Annecy, France, his surgeon had 'held no hope.'

Rhys's mum Suzanne Peacey, speaking via videolink, told the coroner that when her son emerged from a coma: "[The medical team] cried and called him their miracle."

After years of rehabilitation and learning to live with his injuries, by the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, Mr Peacey was 'planning his future', his mother said.

He was at home, surrounded by family and had started to go out in his mobility scooter.

Together they would visit Gurnard seafront, because Rhys loved the sunsets.

On May 9, 2020, the coroner heard Mr Peacey had enjoyed a 'wonderful evening' with his family.

He had cooked his favourite meal - steak and chips.

While eating it, he appeared to choke.

Apparently recovering, Mr Peacey made light of the incident and the family carried on with their evening.

However, in the early hours of the next morning, Mr Peacey was discovered to be having a seizure.

A piece of meat was found lodged in his throat.

A former pupil from Gurnard Primary, Solent Middle and Cowes High schools, Mr Peacey was a gifted motor mechanic who worked at Fairlee garage in Newport before travelling to France.

A French-Moroccan man is serving 12 years in prison for the attempted murder of Rhys Peacey.

Ruling on Rhys's death, coroner Mrs Caroline Sumeray added: "I'm pushing as many people as we can to prosecute this man again and have him charged with Rhys's murder."