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| Becky Morgan: Man admits not helping drowning teenager | Becky Morgan: Man admits not helping drowning teenager |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man has admitted killing a 17-year-old woman by not helping her when she fell into the sea. | A man has admitted killing a 17-year-old woman by not helping her when she fell into the sea. |
| Becky Morgan fell in the water at the Port Of Ramsgate on 1 May after a party. Her body was recovered from the sea at Broadstairs about two hours later. | Becky Morgan fell in the water at the Port Of Ramsgate on 1 May after a party. Her body was recovered from the sea at Broadstairs about two hours later. |
| Michael Bowditch, 21 of Prestedge Avenue, Ramsgate, denied murder but admitted manslaughter. | Michael Bowditch, 21 of Prestedge Avenue, Ramsgate, denied murder but admitted manslaughter. |
| Maidstone Crown Court was told Bowditch went clubbing after watching her die. | |
| They had been at a birthday party before going to the Harbour Arm in Ramsgate, Simon Taylor for the prosecution told the hearing. | They had been at a birthday party before going to the Harbour Arm in Ramsgate, Simon Taylor for the prosecution told the hearing. |
| He said: "Mr Bowditch accepts that although he cannot say exactly how Becky Morgan came to fall into the sea, once she fell in he failed to take any steps to try to assist her. | He said: "Mr Bowditch accepts that although he cannot say exactly how Becky Morgan came to fall into the sea, once she fell in he failed to take any steps to try to assist her. |
| "It is the failure to take any steps to prevent Miss Morgan's death after she fell into the sea which forms the basis of his culpability for manslaughter." | "It is the failure to take any steps to prevent Miss Morgan's death after she fell into the sea which forms the basis of his culpability for manslaughter." |
| Bowditch had been due to stand trial this week after denying murdering the college student, but an admission of manslaughter was accepted by Judge Jeremy Carey. | Bowditch had been due to stand trial this week after denying murdering the college student, but an admission of manslaughter was accepted by Judge Jeremy Carey. |
| 'Seen someone die' | |
| The court heard when the pair went to the harbour, Bowditch was drunk and had taken cocaine and cannabis. Miss Morgan was not drunk, toxicology reports showed. | |
| Bowditch told police they had been "mucking about" and he believed she ended up in the water sometime between about 02:05 and 02:40 BST. | |
| The court heard Miss Morgan had asked for help and told Bowditch she could not swim. He said he was unable to help. | |
| The prosecution lawyer said: "He did not just walk away and leave Miss Morgan to perish but remained and watched her drown." | |
| Bowditch was later seen dancing in Rokka Bar. | |
| He called police at 05:01 and said: "I've seen someone die tonight." | |
| In a statement to the court, Miss Morgan's mother, Lee-Ann Bevan, said: "She was smart, mature, independent and funny. I feel like something bright has died in my life. | |
| "I'll spend my whole life not knowing what happened. All I can think about is her being alone in the dark and cold and frightened. | |
| "I can only think she would have been asking for me." |