TRIBUTES have been paid to the nephew of TV personality Paddy Doherty, as an inquest opens into the teenager’s recent death in a tragic car crash.
Tom Doherty, 17, was killed following a road traffic collision on Coopers Hill Road, South Nutfield in Surrey on October 9.
The tragic teen – whose uncle is Big Fat Gypsy Weddings star Paddy – was selected for the prestigious Frank Bruno Boxing Academy recently and had been tipped for major success in the ring having won the Amateur Boxing Association finals.
His funeral is set to take place at 2pm on October 26 at Epsom Cemetery in Downs Road, Epsom.
Hundreds of members of the Irish Traveller community are expected to attend as a horse-drawn hearse carries the youngster’s body to the cemetery following a mass at the Catholic Church of English Martyrs in nearby Horley.
The ceremony is expected to host Travellers from as far afield as the United States and New Zealand later this month.
TV personality Paddy Doherty is also expected to be in attendance.
An inquest into Tom’s death was opened in Surrey last week to mark his formal identification as the sole victim of the crash.
The talented boxer was driving a white Citroen Berlingo when it crashed at 7.50pm on October 9.
The opening of the inquest heard that he was treated at the scene but was sadly pronounced dead.
Meanwhile, the young man’s grandfather, Thomas Doherty, has paid tribute to his “brilliant” grandson.
“He was a brilliant amateur boxer,” Mr Doherty said in a statement. “He was loved by everyone he met.”
A date has not yet been set for the remainder of the inquest into Tom ‘Tomboy’ Doherty’s death to take place.
A spokesperson for the coroner’s office in Woking said: “The Inquest touching upon the death of Mr Doherty was opened and adjourned on October 13, 2017.
“Mr Doherty resided in the Redhill area. Ongoing enquiries into his death will continue.”
