Simon Harwood's mother-in-law 'blames drunk vendor over G20 death' My son in law pushed him, he was so drunk and so ill that unfortunately he died. After her comments drew an angry response from presenter James O'Brien, she added in reference to the Downing Street incident: "All I'm saying is I feel sorry for the policeman who was there and I think as an MP he [Mr Mitchell] should have known better because I've got four grandsons and I we try to bring them up decently and insist on having respect. How can I teach my grandchildren, my children, to respect the law and be decent citizens when you get an MP abusing the police? It just doesn't make sense. Mr Tomlinson, a father of nine, collapsed after being struck and pushed to the ground by Mr Harwood, from Carshalton, Surrey, and later died of internal injuries. Andrew Mitchell is alleged to have confronted police officers in Downing Street (PIcture: REUTERS) An inquest ruled the vendor, who had a history of alcohol abuse, had been unlawfully killed but the former PC, 45, was acquitted of manslaughter by a jury at a criminal trial in July. He was sacked for gross misconduct this week after a disciplinary panel, sitting in public for the first time in the Metropolitan Police's history, ruled his actions had brought the service into disrepute and had undermined public confidence. Maria said she had known her daughter Helen's husband, who is able to keep his pension, for more than 25 years. She could not be reached for comment tonight.