Coroner records accidental death conclusion over drowning of popular 21-year-old

Shropshire Coroner, John Ellery, recorded a conclusion of accidental death in the case of popular Shrewsbury man Nathan Fleetwood, who disappeared in the early hours of March 27, after a night out in the town.

Nathan's disappearance sparked mass efforts to find him over the course of two weeks, but his body was found in the river near to the Greyfriars Bridge at Coleham on Friday, April 15 – just hundreds of metres from where he was last seen.

During an inquest, held at Shirehall in Shrewsbury, Mr Ellery heard from police and toxicology experts, who had pieced together Nathan's movements over the hours before his death.

The coroner was told how witnesses had described Nathan as in a state of confusion after leaving Albert's Shed in the centre of Shrewsbury.

He had headed away from his home, in the Castlefields area of the town, and towards Kingsland – and the River Sever – in the opposite direction from where he lived.

Mr Ellery quizzed both Detective Sergeant Laura Breeze, and forensic toxicologist Kerry Taylor, over the possibility Nathan had been spiked with a drug after concerns from his family over his confused state in the hours before he died.

The inquest also heard that he had displayed confused behaviour when spiked the previous December – with a drug through a needle while on a night out.

Responding DS Breeze had said they had not been able to find any evidence on CCTV in Albert's Shed of his drinks being tampered with, or of him being spiked with a needle.

She said: "When looking at the CCTV we were following Nathan around for the entire time he was in Albert's Shed to see if he had control of his own drinks at all times – whether he was handed any drinks, whether anyone leaned over him and did something with his drink."

She added: "There are points where he is so distant you cannot clearly see the drink in his hand, on the dance floor he is quite far away, but at no point did we see anyone trying to tamper with his drink."

Ms Taylor said that toxicology tests for a number of drugs had not shown up any unusual substances but had recorded a high level of alcohol in his blood – more than three times the drink drive limit.

DS Breeze had said that there had been a section of time where Nathan was in the toilet at Albert's Shed where they were unable to account for his movements.

She told Mr Ellery that he had gone onto the bathroom at around 2am, and had been seen coming out, helped by another man at 2.43am, who asked bar staff to get him a glass of water.

A friend of Nathan's was then seen helping the 21-year-old, who was saying he intended to drive home, despite not actually having his car with him that day.

The inquest heard he was also telling him he would start the car with his vaping stick.

The pair had left Albert's Shed at around 3am and sat in a bus shelter. At the point his friend was satisfied he was not going to drive home they parted company.

CCTV then shows Nathan walking up Claremont Hill towards the Quarry. At the Quarry gates he turned left and walked along Town Walls.

DS Breeze said that on CCTV he appeared to be "intoxicated and unsteady on his feet", but that at all times was on his own.

At 3.27am Nathan was seen on CCTV walking down the Kingsland Bridge Toll Road.

DS Breeze said he had then been seen by a number of witnesses on the ground on the other side of the bridge – two young men who had stopped to see if they could get him a taxi, and another group of four, where there had been discussions of trying to walk him home.

The group of four had moved on and the two, who were unable to get a taxi, then left Nathan when he said he was fine, as they went on to meet a friend.

DS Breeze said that it was likely Nathan had ended up in the river after walking down a set of steps which lead to the river path, between 4am and 5am.

Recording his conclusion at Shirehall, Mr Ellery said: "Nathan had been out with his friends on that Saturday, he was a keen footballer and fan, he had been to the Lincoln and Shrewsbury game at the New Meadow and then enjoyed an evening with friends at various places, up to and including Albert's Shed.

"We know from the CCTV coverage at around 3.27am Nathan was intoxicated and that is clear to anyone that has seen the CCTV.

"At some time between 4am and 5am Nathan has entered the river and DS Breeze's hypothesis is he entered the river going down the steps to the boat club.

"That is based upon where Nathan was last seen and there is no other evidence of being seen again and I think that is most likely what occurred. Nathan entered the river sometime after 4am, certainly before 5am, and tragically he has drowned."

He added: "The most likely explanation is given the condition he was in on Kingsland Bridge, when he got near the river bank he would just as easily have stepped or fallen into it as carried on the path.

"I think it is more likely than not Nathan entered the river near to the base of the steps at Kingsland Bridge. He has accidentally gone into the river and drowned and therefore my conclusion as a result is that Nathan's death is accidental."