Christopher Kapessa: Inquest into 'foolish prank' river death

Christopher Kapessa's body was found in a river on 1 July

An inquest into the death of a teenager in a river is expected to be held in January.

Christopher Kapessa, 13, died in the River Cynon near Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf, in July 2019.

The Crown Prosecution Service decided not to charge a boy, then 14, as it claimed he pushed Christopher as a "foolish prank".

The decision not to pursue a prosecution was upheld by the High Court in January.

On Thursday a pre-inquest review at South Wales Central Coroner's Court in Pontypridd heard Christopher's inquest is listed to last two weeks.

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Assistant coroner David Regan said he would decide whether the inquest will be heard by a jury at a later date.

Another pre-inquest review is expected to be held on 9 November.

Christopher's family accused the CPS and South Wales Police of institutional racism for not prosecuting a suspect over his death in 2020.

When the decision not to charge the 14-year-old was reviewed, Jenny Hopkins, who oversees the appeals and review unit within the CPS, said: "Although there was evidence to support a prosecution for manslaughter it was not in the public interest to prosecute.

"Christopher's tragic death occurred after a group of children went out to have fun by the river.

"The evidence showed that Christopher was pushed into the river as a foolish prank with nothing to suggest that the suspect intended to harm him, although that was the awful consequence."

His mum, Alina Joseph, described her son as "a little character".

"There was never a dull moment when Christopher was around. He was so loving, clever, always very smart, very intelligent. He was full of too much energy," she said.

Alina Joseph previously said her son Christopher was "so loving" and "very intelligent"

When they moved to the Fernhill Estate in the spring of 2019, it meant he was nearer school and his football teammates, who were "constantly" knocking on the family's door asking for Christopher.

The last time she saw him, he was heading out and promised he would be back soon.

But instead his body was recovered by police from the River Cynon.