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Tony Hoare Dies After 'Assault'
UK-based researcher Tony Hoare, 49, has died after an incident in a park near his home in Charlton, south east London. A man aged 42 has been charged with manslaughter. Hoare worked at Research International before forming pink pound consultancy Stormbreak in 1998.
Hoare was attacked as he walked his two Jack Russell dogs in Charlton Park on 11th September. He was found unconscious and died in hospital after a brain haemorrhage, allegedly following a blow to the head.
Stormbreak, which has one other full time executive as well as support staff and access to a network of associates, conducts qual and quant research in mainstream areas but has particular expertise in lesbian and gay issues and the 'pink economy'. Hoare had recently published a report which claimed there was widespread underreporting of homophobic crime in London, mainly for reasons of its being considered 'insufficiently serious'.
His fourteen years' experience in MR included time as a Director in the International Division at Research International UK, and two years in RI's Belgium office. A French speaker and qualified teacher, he spent five years lecturing at colleges of further education before starting out in MR.
Ruth McNeil, a close colleague and friend from RI and now of b2b firm Response Consulting, paid tribute to him: 'Tony was a much loved member of the research community. He had a ready smile and gentle wry sense of humour and will be missed by all those who knew him.'
A vigil to commemorate Hoare was held this evening at the spot where the alleged attack took place. His funeral will not take place for some weeks, pending a post mortem.
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