Christopher David TAYLOR · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On 31st January 2014 I commenced an investigation into the death of Christopher David TAYLOR, Aged 21. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 16th January 2015. The conclusion of the inquest was as follows

Medical Cause of Death

1a) Drowning

Conclusion

Christopher Taylor died when he fell into the River Avon in Bath; he was unable to find a way out himself and despite the efforts of the emergency services at the scene he was not able to be rescued by them.

Christopher was a student at Bath University and on 22nd January he had been out drinking with friends. The evidence of a witness was that he heard Christopher calling for help from the river and he dialled 999 for the emergency services. That call was created by the call handler at Avon and Somerset Constabulary at 04:10 hrs. on 23rd January 2014.

That call required an immediate response so it was graded as immediate at 04:12 hrs. The call handler completed the call and transferred it to dispatch at 04:14 hrs.

A subsequent witness indicated that immediate incidents are clearly indicated on the screen with a red flashing outline. This immediate incident could have been flashing in the supervisors screen from 04:12 hrs. and in the dispatchers screen from 04:14 hrs.

The Force Service Centre Supervisor called to ensure that the dispatch centre were aware of the incident as the call had not been accepted. This telephone call resulted in the call being accepted at 04:19 hrs with officers being dispatched at 04:20 hrs. There is no explanation for what happened during that 5 minute period.

Officers were at the scene at 04:23 hrs. when Christopher was still alive.

At 04:36 hrs. Christopher went under the water and all attempts to rescue him were unsuccessful.

During the inquest it became clear that there were issues in relation to fencing along the River Avon and the fact that all life buoy ring stations that were checked had no life buoy ring present as they had been vandalised.

I heard that Bath and North East Somerset together with the Fire Service have been working on developing a vandal proof life buoy station. I also heard that the length of the River Avon is not owned in its entirety by Bath and North East Somerset and indeed the banks are owned by many different people and organisations. The area of the river bank where Christopher fell in is owned by Sainsburys and this is considered to be in a high risk area.

1. In this particular case it appears that the team in dispatch were not aware of the immediate incident which resulted in a delay in it being actioned by them. Staff need to be able to see at all times a screen which displays incoming incidents for them to be able to action in an appropriate manner.

2. I appreciate that Sainsburys were not represented at the inquest and I do not have any evidence from them in relation to their plans for the bank next to the River Avon in Bath however I would ask that they consider their responsibility as land owner along this stretch of river in question which falls within the high risk area. Specifically I would ask that they liaise with Bath and North East Somerset Local Authority in relation to potentially the provision of a vandal proof life buoy station along that stretch of river.