River Thames drowning victim died after fleeing drunken argument, inquest hears

Security guards watched on helplessly as a 28-year-old man drowned in the River Thames following a drunken argument at an Old Windsor hotel, an inquest has heard.

Liverpool-born Daniel Hutton died in the river on Wednesday, September 7, last year.

An inquest, held at Reading Town Hall today (Thursday), was told how the real estate telemarketer had been staying at the Beaumont Estate, in Burfield Road, the night of the tragic incident.

During an evening of drinking with his co-workers from the Spanish-based International Homes Group, Hutton became involved in an argument with colleague Victoria Ayton and threw a pack of black napkins at her.

Despite being warned by night shift manager Joanna Kujawa to behave, Mr Hutton continued to argue and had to be carried out by security guards in the early hours of the morning.

Hotel staff called police to the scene at about 3.40am but Mr Hutton fled, with bouncers setting off on foot to try and find him.

They were alerted when they heard a ‘splashing’ sound.

A statement read out in court from security guard Geoff Collins said: “I heard the breaking of branches and then I heard him splashing around.

“He was right in the middle of the river and it was very dark. I said I would jump in but was told it would be too dangerous.

“From hearing the splashing to him going under was about 90 seconds.”

Emergency services launched a widespread search operation and sadly found his body face down on the river bed later that day.

Coroner Peter Bedford recorded a verdict of death by misadventure and told the court he did not believe Mr Hutton had deliberately thrown himself in.

He told the court: “What I do believe happened is he perceived they [the security guards] were trying to detain him so he fled.

“In doing so he left the security of the road and went into a wooded area where I suggest he blundered into the river.

“Once he got himself in there I’m afraid it was inevitable what was going to occur.”

Mr Bedford added that he did not blame the security guards for not jumping into the river.

“It was dark and dangerous and if that had been decided I may well have been conducting two inquests instead of one,” he told the court.

Mr Hutton’s official cause of death was given as asphyxiation by drowning.