Family pays tribute to teenager whose death remains a mystery

Jack Sykes, a 6ft 5in labourer, was found dead in a canal near Huddersfield around seven hours after he set off for work.

He had walked the 20-minute route into Huddersfield town centre many times and was on his way to work for his father Graham.

A post-mortem examination showed he had drowned but his family still want to find out how he came to be in the canal.

Yesterday an inquest heard Mr Sykes’s body was spotted by Jeffrey Grainger who was on a canalboat holiday in August last year.

Mr Grainger said the body was “largely submerged” and facing down. Police were called and sealed off the towpath of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal at Paddock.

Pathologist Dr Richard Knights, who carried out the examination, told the hearing in Huddersfield Mr Sykes was alive at the time he entered the water.

He said there was no evidence of any external injuries which, had they been present, might have pointed to foul play.

Dr Knights said a section of Mr Sykes’ heart had shown a slight abnormality which had similarities to a hereditary condition linked to dizzy spells and sudden deaths in young adults.

But he said he could not be sure whether the teenager suffered from a specific heart condition nor whether there was a connection with the cause of death.

The court heard from Mr Sykes’s sister, Dayna Briggs, 23, with whom he lived in Savile Street, Milnsbridge, Huddersfield.

Miss Briggs asked a series of questions of Detective Constable Julie Holloway, of Huddersfield CID, who gave evidence at the inquest.

DC Holloway concluded there was no evidence of any suspicious activity surrounding the death.

“There was nothing to indicate any foul play – there were no marks on the body at all, as the pathologist has said. His property was intact on his person.”

Miss Briggs asked DC Holloway about a beanie hat belonging to her brother which he had worn on the day but which has never been found.

The detective said officers had walked the length of the canal but had not found the hat.

Miss Briggs said the family had carried out their own tests by buying two identical beanie hats and dropping them in the canal.

Both had remained on the surface, although they had drifted around 150m. DC Holloway replied that it was possible that Mr Sykes’ hat had ended up beneath the water.

The family also asked questions about CCTV and the business premises which overlooked the area where the body was found.

DC Holloway said businesses and CCTV footage had been checked but no evidence had been uncovered.

Assistant deputy coroner Oliver Longstaff said there was insufficient evidence to suggest foul play. And it was “hard to say” whether there had been an 
accident. There was no evidence that Mr Sykes was unhappy, he added.

He returned an open verdict, saying the case was a mystery. “It’s a tragedy and something of a mystery. To family and friends I offer my sincere condolences.”

After the hearing Mr Sykes’ father Graham, 45, paid tribute to his son, whom friends called BFG – Big Friendly Giant.

He described him as kind and generous.

“The week before he died he was working with a person whose wages were short. My son took the shortfall – it was the kind of lad he was.”

Mr Sykes said “more questions than answers” continued to surround the case.

[email protected]