Oxford birdwatcher saw missing man's body in River Thames

The member of the public, who was not named at Oxford Coroner’s Court on Tuesday (October 17), saw John ‘Keith’ Jones’ body through his binoculars from his park bench birding spot near Osney Lock.

Mr Jones, 81, had been reported missing some 20 days earlier, on March 17.

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Despite extensive search efforts, including by volunteers from Oxfordshire’s lowland search and rescue team, no trace of him was found until the unnamed birdwatcher phoned 999 at around 1.15pm on April 6.

Recording a narrative conclusion rather than an open verdict, senior coroner Darren Salter told Mr Jones’ inquest: “It is not known how he entered the water, but there is no evidence of suspicious circumstances, third party involvement or suicidal thoughts and he appears to have drowned.”

Earlier, the inquest was told that enquiries after his death established that Mr Jones had parked his Suzuki car in the car park of The Trout Inn public house in Wolvercote at 3.37am on March 14.

He could be seen on CCTV getting out of his car with the yellow bucket he habitually carried while he was out in case he needed to relieve himself.

Mr Jones walked in the direction of the bridge over the Thames where the bucket was later found.

Police officers had checked the CCTV at The Trout after his Suzuki was found in the pub car park on March 18, a day after he was reported missing.

John 'Keith' Jones Picture: Thames Valley Police (Image: Thames Valley Police)

Detective sergeant Nathan Adby, the officer responsible for the investigation, told Mr Jones’ inquest that detectives established Mr Jones had bought a newspaper from the Tesco in Botley some six hours before he had gone to Wolvercote.

The paper was found in his flat in Arnold’s Way, off Cumnor Hill, the inquest heard.

Staff at Age UK reported him missing on March 17 as they would usually have regular contact with him but had not heard from him. A neighbour told the police she had not seen or heard from him either.

Mr Jones was formally identified by a forensic scientist using DNA samples taken from his toothbrush. Pathologist Prof Ian Roberts ruled his cause of death as drowning.

A critical care paramedic car on Botley Road after Mr Jones' body was found Picture: Oxford Mail (Image: Olivia Christie)

Police officers at the scene off Botley Road Picture: Oxford Mail (Image: Oxford Mail)

The inquest heard that the Cumnor Hill man had been referred to an NHS memory clinic in 2022 but had not attended appointments.

There were no recent health concerns and he had not reported suicidal thoughts.

Thames Valley detective Mr Adby told the inquest there was no evidence of third-party involvement in Mr Jones’ death or that the circumstances were suspicious.

The police hypothesis was that Mr Jones had gone into the river near Godstow bridge.

Mr Adby said: “[There had been] quite heavy rain, so the river had burst its banks in quite a few locations. It would be unlikely that Keith would have walked alongside the river all the way to get to Osney.”

The coroner recorded a narrative conclusion.