Soldier's death in river was an accident – coroner

Charlie Saywell's body was found in the River Medway after a night out with friends

A soldier whose body was found in a Kent river died as a result of an accident after he fell several metres, a coroner has ruled.

Charlie Saywell, 25, was discovered in the River Medway near Main Gate Road, Chatham, on 5 March.

Kent Police has said he may have mistakenly got into a stranger’s car after an evening with friends and suffered facial injuries after being assaulted by the driver.

Det Sgt Karen Caulfield told the inquest there was no evidence that any third party was involved in the death and there were no suspicious circumstances.

At the conclusion of the inquest in Maidstone on Tuesday, assistant coroner James Dillon said Mr Saywell may have fallen several metres to a pontoon.

He had been unable to pull himself from the river and succumbed to injury and exhaustion, the coroner added.

The hearing was told Mr Saywell had drunk a “reasonable amount” of alcohol during his night out and he may have tried to use a rope, which was tied in a “complex” fixture around his body, as a safety aid.

The coroner said: “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.”

He appeared to have used the rope to “fashion some sort of harness” and tried to climb to safety but succumbed “to various issues including the temperature and injuries he sustained in the fall”, the coroner said.

'Injuries and distress'

Mr Saywell’s friends, who saw he was unsteady on his feet, had put him in a taxi to take him back to Brompton Barracks.

He arrived safely shortly after midnight but set off on foot away from the barracks towards Chatham town centre and spoke to his girlfriend at various points on video calls in the early hours.

She described him as being “very drunk”, the court heard.

Mr Saywell, a sapper, had sustained injuries after getting into a stranger’s car outside a pizza shop, the court heard.

The driver tried to get him out of the vehicle but Mr Saywell was reluctant and the driver was seen to kick out towards him and also to possibly throw a punch.

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

Mr Saywell’s next movements were unclear, but he ended up at the boatyard where his injured body was later found by a member of the public face down in the mud at the Turks Shipyard.

Det Sgt Caulfield said no further action was being taken against the suspect who had claimed he had acted in self-defence and had been threatened.

An army spokesperson said: “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies remain with the family and friends of Sapper Charlie Saywell at this sad and difficult time.”

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