Inquiry rules shock or dry-drowning responsible for agent's death

An inquest has ruled that the death of an estate agent was caused by shock or dry-drowning.

Twenty-eight-year-old Daniel Hutton died last September after accidentally falling into the River Thames.

He was ejected from a hotel in Old Windsor for drunken behaviour and fell into the river after running from security staff.

Hutton, originally from Liverpool, had been working in Spain but returned home for a series of exhibitions with his firm International Homes Group, the Windsor Observer reports.

He joined colleagues at the hotel bar of the De Vere Beaumont estate and was rejected by staff after arguing with his boss.

It is alleged that Hutton was asked to stay and wait for the police by hotel security staff but fled the scene, before falling into the river.

Security staff tried to guide him back to the riverbank and one member of staff attempted to help by wading into the water.

Hutton's body was pulled from the Thames later that night by specialist divers.

A toxicology report found him to be almost three times over the drink-drive limit.

Senior coroner for Berkshire, Peter Bedford, ruled the death was caused by shock, or dry-drowning.

"I have no reason to believe that he was aware of the river, nor do I entertain the possibility that Daniel deliberately threw himself in the water to end his life," he said.

"I believe that he thought people were trying to detain him and something untoward may occur and he fled but in doing so he has gone into an unknown area and I expect blundered unintentionally into the water."