Canal death student ‘too drunk’ to board bus
STUDENT WHO PERISHED IN CANAL ‘TOO DRUNK’ FOR BUS
A STUDENT who died after falling into a city centre canal following a night out had left to go home hours earlier, but was stopped from getting on a bus because he was ‘too drunk,’ an inquest heard.
Charlie Pope’s body was discovered in the Rochdale Canal on March 2 after he disappeared during the notorious ‘Beast from the East’ storm.
At an inquest into the 19-year-old’s death at Manchester Coroner’s Court, his flatmate Louis Wright told how the pair had attempted to head home more than four hours before his death, but a bus driver said Charlie was ‘too drunk’ to board.
The pair returned to the Zombie Shack in the city centre before getting separated, the court heard.
First-year University of Manchester student Charlie, who was studying economics with philosophy, is thought to have left the venue alone at around 1.20am. CCTV captured him heading in the direction of his student halls in Fallowfield.
But after three ‘missing hours,’ footage showed him walking back in the direction of Manchester city centre and onto the canal towpath near Rain Bar, where it is believed he fell into the water.
Mr Wright said he left the bar at around 2am, assuming Charlie was with other friends or had already gone home. The next day, he noticed he had missed a Facebook call from his flatmate at 6am, but his return calls went unanswered.
Coroner Nigel Meadows concluded Charlie’s death was accidental after consuming a ‘not insignificant’ amount of alcohol.
The tragedy thrust canal safety into the spotlight. A petition for barriers to be placed along the city’s waterways, launched by Charlie’s father Nick, was signed by 100,000 people.
In the intervening months, the inquest heard, Manchester’s Water Safety Partnership commissioned an independent report by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and has started to act on recommendations – including installing more barriers, lighting and safety measures.
After the inquest Nick, from Newcastle, told the M.E.N. of Charlie’s love for Manchester and thanked all those who had supported the #MakeCharliethelast campaign.
“Since Charlie’s death there has been action taken and I commend the safety partnership for doing an independent report and I commend them for saying in court they are committed to implementing that in full and I think it will go a long way to preventing future deaths,” he added.
“I’d like to thank everyone for their support in Manchester and beyond and hopefully we are going to see change. Charlie was a cracking lad who loved Manchester. I hope now kids like him will be safe.”