Southampton officer says teen was in 'dangerous situation' - inquest

Police searched the riverbank surrounded Cobden Bridge for two days after Marcel was seen entering the water

A police officer told an inquest he did not jump into a river after a 15-year-old boy who was later found dead as he "wasn't a strong swimmer".

PC William Chan said Marcel Wochna "got himself in a dangerous situation" after jumping off a pontoon into the River Itchen to avoid being arrested.

His body was found near Southampton's Cobden Bridge after a two-day search.

Hampshire Constabulary referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct following Marcel's death.

Speaking to jurors at Winchester Coroner's Court, PC Chan said he and his colleague PC Miles were called to Cobden Marina just before midnight on 7 November 2021.

The court previously heard Marcel and a friend, who cannot be named for legal reasons, snuck out of their houses that night and ended up near Smith's Quay, where they hid in a boat when they heard police being called.

'I can't breathe'

PC Chan and PC Miles arrived at the pontoon and found the two 15-year-olds under a zipped canopy.

The friend was first to get off the boat and PC Miles was in the process of applying handcuffs when Marcel was being lifted off the boat by PC Chan.

PC Chan told the court he was holding onto Marcel's hood, but when he said: "I can't breathe," he loosened his grip.

The officer said: "I was about to get him handcuffed, then he jumped into the river, I almost went in with him.

"I heard a big splash and Marcel swam away, he was swimming confidently in a front crawl method without any struggles."

Explaining why he did not follow him into the water, he added: "I'm not a strong swimmer, I wouldn't be coming out of it," and said he also had to help PC Miles handcuffing the friend.

Hampshire Constabulary referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct after Marcel's death

PC Chan said he contacted the control room on his radio to explain one of the suspects was in the water and requested help from the coastguard.

He then helped PC Miles take the friend up to their squad car.

The court heard PC Chan's body-worn camera captured a conversation between him and the friend, where the officer is heard saying: "Your friend's going to be very cold right now, it's freezing in the water, we don't want your mate to end up dead."

According to an extract from the IOPC report on the incident, PC Chan completed an e-learning water safety course in 2017, but he told the court he could not remember it.

When asked if he was aware of the force's policies on working near water, he said: "I just remember that you don't go in the water, that's a common thing in policing."

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The force's water safety policy includes advice on cold water shock, dealing with current changes and carrying out dynamic risk assessments on scene.

The court heard PC Chan walked between the squad car containing the friend and the pontoon to look for Marcel, with PC Miles using their torches until back-up arrived.

PC Chan said: "On reflection I would have done it differently, I'd have still gone onto the pontoon, but asked for more police officers to help. I don't want this sort of thing to happen again."

The inquest continues.