Josh Clayton death on Tresco 'not murder' say police

Josh Clayton was missing for 10 days before his body was found

Police have ruled out murder in the case of a man who died after a party on the Isles of Scilly more than two years ago.

The body of Josh Clayton, 23, from Taunton, Somerset, was found on rocks near Tresco in September 2015 - 10 days after he went missing.

His family always believed his death was not an accident.

Devon and Cornwall Police was ordered to carry out a fresh investigation but has found no evidence of foul play.

Mr Clayton had been working as a bar manager on Tresco when he went missing on 13 September 2015. His body was discovered by a French yachtsman.

At his inquest last year the coroner halted proceedings after a witness said he saw Mr Clayton arguing with a group of men on the night he disappeared, prompting a new investigation.

'Missed opportunities'

Mr Clayton's mother, Tracey, said she had little faith the police's latest conclusions.

She said: "I feel, because there were so many missed opportunities in the first investigation, although they said they started with a blank sheet, I don't think they did.

"I feel they did try but their starting point was misleading anyway because all of the first investigation statements were on the understanding that Josh was a drugged-up drunk who had just fallen in the sea and that's all they wanted to believe."

Concluding the latest review, Det Supt Steve Parker said: "There's no evidence of third party involvement and no evidence of criminal activity in the death of Mr Clayton identified by us.

"Obviously the cause of death is a matter for the coroner and the coroner's court."