Bell Wharf beach incident: Man 'misjudged depth of water'

Thomas Warren, 27, sustained the injury after diving into the water from a yacht on Saturday, July 8, and he died ten days later in hospital in London.

In August, area coroner for Essex, Michelle Brown, opened the inquest into Mr Warren’s death, and the final hearing took place in Chelmsford on Thursday.

No previous medical history had been recorded for Mr Warren, and the coroner said the 27-year-old been fit and well, was a strong swimmer, and regularly took part in activities such as skiing.

Thursday’s inquest hearing summarised the events leading to Mr Warren’s death, with Ms Brown explaining how Mr Warren suffered catastrophic injuries as a result of misjudging the depth of the water as he dived in.

She said: “Sadly, with this, he misjudged the depth and dived into some water that was shallow.”

The ambulance service attempted to resuscitate 27-year-old once he was taken to shore, and he was then transferred to Southend Hospital, where a trauma CT scan showed he had broken his spine.

After being transferred to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, surgeons started complex surgery on the 27-year-old.

Coroner Ms Brown said: “[Surgeons] tried to manage the gravity of his condition, but he was extremely unwell and he never regained consciousness.

She continued: “He was weened off sedation, but he did not improve; he was gyrating and had an MRI scan on July 17 which indicated evidence of severe hypoxic brain injury.

“He had brain stem death due to the spinal injury – this indicated a devastating brain injury, and Mr Warren sadly died on July 18.”

Ms Brown added that Mr Warren’s family had said the care he received had been of a very good standard.

She continued: “I send my sympathies to the family and friends, because he was a very, very young age.

“I conclude that Thomas Warren died on July 18 at the Royal London Hospital as a result of an accident.”