Inquest told of robbery theory for scooter rider’s death plunge

Jan Barry Swindlehurst, aged 61, died after he and his scooter somehow veered off the canal towpath in Kirkstall, Leeds, but an inquest was told yesterday that mystery still surrounds what happened to him.

Speaking afterwards, Det Supt Mark Ridley, who is leading the investigation, appealed for help tracing the man seen in the canal, saying it was possible he could have been trying to rob him – although he stressed nothing had been taken.

He also said there could have been a number of other reasons why the man had been in the water.

The towpath is narrow where Mr Swindlehurst plunged into the canal and it is possible the man could have been pushed into the water accidentally as Mr Swindlehurst lost control.

Mr Ridley said it was also possible the man, who despite extensive police inquiries has never been traced, was simply trying to rescue Mr Swindlehurst and for reasons unknown left the scene.

He said two men walking along the canal bank had seen somebody climbing out of the water and then they saw Mr Swindlehurst in the water.

They reported seeing the man get out of the canal and walk briskly away from the scene.

He added: “We remain open-minded as to why that man was in the water at that location.”

An inquest was held in Leeds yesterday where coroner David Hinchliff recorded an open verdict.

But Mr Hinchliff stressed it was unlikely there was anything suspicious about why Mr Swindlehurst ended up in the water: “There’s no real evidence of any attack or any restraint.”

Mr Swindlehurst, of Armley, Leeds, who relied on his scooter to get about, was suffering from heart and lung diseases.

A postmortem concluded he died as a result of a combination of drowning and his illnesses. No significant injuries that could have contributed to his death were discovered.

Mr Hinchliff, addressing Mr Swindlehurst’s wife, said: “I would say that there is probably some really quite innocent explanation as to why your husband ended up in the water.”

The hearing was told it is possible the retired welder, who was on his way to a supermarket at the time of his death, could have somehow lost control of the scooter at a point where the towpath was narrow and ended up in the Leeds and Liverpool canal.

Mucus which tests linked to Mr Swindlehurst was found and another theory is that he had had a coughing fit which had caused him to loose control of his mobility scooter.

Police carried tests out on the scooter, which Mr Swindlehurst, had only had for a couple of weeks, but no defects were discovered.

A few weeks after his death in July last year there was another incident nearby in which a man cycling along the towpath died after he ended up in the canal. A thief took the cycle without stopping to help the keen cyclist who was left lying face down in the stretch of water. The cyclist later died in hospital.

However, Mr Ridley told yesterday’s hearing there was no evidence to link the crimes.

Speaking afterwards Mr Ridley appealed for the man seen in the canal at the time of Mr Swindlehurst’s death to come forward.

He also appealed for anyone with any information about the man seen in the canal to come forward and contact police on 01924 334741.

The man seen wading in the canal was wearing a black fleece top and blue jeans. He had with short, dark hair and had a thin face.