Open conclusion on Severn drowning

Published: Thursday, 24 January 2019

THE coronor has reach an open conclusion on the death of the student who drowned in the Severn.

It was the early hours of the 19th of September that 19 years old Tom Jones met his death in the Severn at Worcester, with Coroner Geraint Williams telling the inquest he had to reach an open conclusion, Alan Tilbury reports.

Night out with friends

Tom was walking back to student accommodation at 3.45am after a night out with friends but never arrived, his body being discovered in the river on the 28th September, the cause, the coroner stated he accepted was drowning, adding that he could not say it was an accident and had to reach an open conclusion.

The inquest heard that audio from CCTV in the area picked up a faint sound of some one shouting for help and possibly Tom had gone to help the person in distress.

Two scenerios

This meant that there were two working scenarios that were put forward at the inquest. One that  he had gone to the river to relieve himself, because where he went was out of the direct line or sight of the cameras, and fell in.

The second scenario offered, was that there had been a shout for help as recorded on one of the cameras, and if he went to help a person in need, he fell in.

Twice legal limit

The inquest was told that a post mortem had found Tom was twice the legal drink drive limit and had an 'extremely low concentration' of cocaine in his system.