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| Man found dead in Scilly Isles 'may have been pushed into sea' | Man found dead in Scilly Isles 'may have been pushed into sea' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A young man whose body was found washed up on a remote uninhabited island more than a week after disappearing may have been pushed into the water, an inquest jury has been told. | A young man whose body was found washed up on a remote uninhabited island more than a week after disappearing may have been pushed into the water, an inquest jury has been told. |
| The inquest also heard that there may have been a blood stain on the T-shirt Josh Clayton was wearing when his body was found on Teän, one of the Isles of Scilly. | |
| Clayton, 23, a bar manager from Taunton, Somerset, was working on the island of Tresco in Scilly when he vanished in September 2015. | Clayton, 23, a bar manager from Taunton, Somerset, was working on the island of Tresco in Scilly when he vanished in September 2015. |
| On the night of his disappearance Clayton attended a party on the island. The jury was told there was a scuffle at the party and one man had to be restrained though the disturbance did not involve Clayton. | On the night of his disappearance Clayton attended a party on the island. The jury was told there was a scuffle at the party and one man had to be restrained though the disturbance did not involve Clayton. |
| He had been drinking and though one party-goer said he was “smashed”, friends said he was able to hold a conversation and was his normal affectionate self. | He had been drinking and though one party-goer said he was “smashed”, friends said he was able to hold a conversation and was his normal affectionate self. |
| At 1.30am Clayton tried to drive off in a golf buggy, but a young woman stopped him and said she would walk home with him. | At 1.30am Clayton tried to drive off in a golf buggy, but a young woman stopped him and said she would walk home with him. |
| She came back several minutes later but Clayton had gone. The hearing was told a packet of his cigarettes and a phone charger were found nearby. | She came back several minutes later but Clayton had gone. The hearing was told a packet of his cigarettes and a phone charger were found nearby. |
| A search was launched when Clayton failed to turn up for work later that morning, but his body was eventually found in the water by a French yachtsman on another island. | A search was launched when Clayton failed to turn up for work later that morning, but his body was eventually found in the water by a French yachtsman on another island. |
| Pathologist Russell Delaney said Clayton’s wallet, driving licence and credit cards were in his clothing and his body had been in the water “for a number of days”. | Pathologist Russell Delaney said Clayton’s wallet, driving licence and credit cards were in his clothing and his body had been in the water “for a number of days”. |
| He was 2.5 times the drink driving limit but had stopped drinking some time before he died. No illegal drugs were found in his system. Delaney said: “There were no injuries to show he had been violently assaulted prior to his death. There were no major traumatic injuries.” He added that the cause of death was “unascertained”. | He was 2.5 times the drink driving limit but had stopped drinking some time before he died. No illegal drugs were found in his system. Delaney said: “There were no injuries to show he had been violently assaulted prior to his death. There were no major traumatic injuries.” He added that the cause of death was “unascertained”. |
| The pathologist told the inquest in Plymouth, Devon, that it was possible Clayton had fallen into the sea, had walked into the water or had even being lying on the beach and been washed out by the tide. | The pathologist told the inquest in Plymouth, Devon, that it was possible Clayton had fallen into the sea, had walked into the water or had even being lying on the beach and been washed out by the tide. |
| Under cross-examination from the family’s barrister, Tom Leeper, Delaney also said it was “possible” that the young man had been pushed into the sea. Delaney said no analysis had been done on Clayton’s T-shirt apart from a visual examination. Leeper suggested that blood stains on the shirt may have been the result of an assault before he died. | Under cross-examination from the family’s barrister, Tom Leeper, Delaney also said it was “possible” that the young man had been pushed into the sea. Delaney said no analysis had been done on Clayton’s T-shirt apart from a visual examination. Leeper suggested that blood stains on the shirt may have been the result of an assault before he died. |
| The inquest continues. | The inquest continues. |