Police watch man drown after order to stay out of river
POLICE watched a man drown after a senior officer ordered them not to attempt a rescue, an inquest heard yesterday.
Standing on a bank of the River Thames only feet away, officers heard John Byrne’s dying screams as his van sank.
One policeman pulled on a life-jacket and was ready to jump into the river in a bid to save the drowning man.
But an order came over the radio advising officers not to go in the river.
The body of 39-yearold Mr Byrne, whose wife was expecting twins, was later recovered from the Thames near Shepperton Lock, Surrey.
A greenkeeper at Wentworth Golf Club, Mr Byrne had driven his van into the river.
It was discovered in 12ft of water 15ft from the bank.
Inspector Gary Cross was in charge of the Surrey Police control room when he gave the order banning officers from attempting a rescue.
“The fact the vehicle was fully submerged and floating down the river, officers would have been ill-equipped and not trained to go into a fast-flowing river with undercurrents,” Mr Cross told the inquest.
Fire service boats were at the scene and police jumping in the river would hamper rescue efforts, Mr Cross added.
“I thought they would distract from any potential rescue efforts of that vehicle by boat crews by putting themselves in serious risk,” he said.
Witness Andrew Silk rang 999 at 8.20pm on December 8, 2016, shortly after watching Mr Byrne drive into the Thames. He was told not to go into the river by the call handler, the inquest in Woking, Surrey, was told.
The first police officers arrived at 8.26pm. Fire service boats reached the scene at 8.47pm.
Assistant Coroner Darren Stewart asked: “Given it was a half hour after the vehicle submerged, you’re not realistically expecting anyone to come out at this point?” Mr Cross said he agreed.
The body of Mr Byrne, of Shepperton, Surrey, was recovered by divers at 9.48pm.
Last week, the inquest heard how the father of one had been suffering from severe depression and threatening to drown himself. On the day he died, police received three emergency calls. Two were made by his mental health team and one by his wife. Cheri Byrne said: “His van is now gone. It was here but it is now gone since he came back from the pub – and he’s gone.”
But police downgraded the messages deciding there was no need to respond until the next day – if at all.
The inquest, sitting with a jury, continues.