Soldier, 25, found dead in river with rope tied around him died by accident

A soldier found dead in a river with rope wrapped around his legs and torso following an alleged assault died by accident.

Charlie Saywell’s body was found in the mud of the River Medway, in Chatham, Kent, on March 5.

An inquest in Maidstone, Kent, heard how the 25-year-old’s death happened by accident after he went out drinking with friends.

His friends had put him in a taxi back to Brompton Barracks because he had drunk a ‘reasonable amount’ of alcohol.

But once he was dropped off, he walked back into Chatham and video called his girlfriend several times and she described him as being ‘very drunk’.

He was then injured after getting into a stranger’s car outside a pizza shop where the driver tried to get Mr Saywell out but failed.

The driver kicked out towards him and possibly also threw a punch, the inquest heard.

Mr Saywell’s girlfriend confirmed he had a swollen eye following the incident.

His following movements were unclear but he ended up at the river where his body was later found.

It was heard how he may have used the rope that was tied in a ‘complex’ fixture around his body as a safety aid.

Assistant coroner James Dillon said: ‘He had fallen into the river apparently suffering injuries as he did so. He may have fallen several metres to a pontoon below.

‘He had been unable to extricate himself from the river and succumbed to injury and exhaustion.

‘It seems to me likely that he fell from the wall and fell to the pontoon causing himself further injuries and distress, finding himself in the dark and in the river.’

Being of a military background it seems he used the rope to ‘fashion some sort of harness’ and tried to climb to safety.

He succumbed ‘to various issues including the temperature and injuries he sustained in the fall’, the coroner had said.

Detective Sergeant Karen Caulfield said in her opinion ‘this was just a tragic accident’.

She said ‘the rope tied around his groin and torso looks like how you would use a rope to abseil’ and it appeared that he may have tried to use the rope ‘to get out of the water and as an aid’.

She said he suffered a broken tooth and facial injuries outside the pizza shop but other injuries appear to have happened later on.

Ms Caulfield said no further action was being taken against the suspect who claimed he had acted in self-defence because he was threatened.

She said a decision had been made that self-defence was ‘plausible’.

The detective added: ‘There is no evidence that any third party was involved and [there were] no suspicious circumstances.

‘He died from drowning, falling into the water causing significant injuries to his feet and ribs.’

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