A WILDLIFE photographer has told a jury of the upsetting moment he found a 'murder victim' in a river.

Craig Prosser was looking for Kingfishers to photograph at Parsons Pleasure, a popular bathing spot in Oxford, on July 26, 2021.

Instead, Mr Prosser found Jorge Carreno, a 30-year-old Spanish man who had gone missing after a night out two evenings before. 

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Scarlet Blake, 25, of Crotch Crescent, Marston, is now standing trial at Oxford Crown Court accused of his murder - which she denies. 

Giving evidence on Friday (February 9), Mr Prosser said he regularly visits the area for wildlife photography.

He had walked past the area once that day but it was when he doubled back at about midday that he noticed something different. 

"I stood on top of the cement rock and to my left, I saw what looked like a black satchel floating on the top," he said.

"I regularly see things floating in the water, my initial reaction was to try and pull it from the water and put it on the side.

"I probably would have needed a branch to fish it out. Then to my left, I saw the bottom, the sole of a shoe. It was white, or cream-coloured."

"I then saw what looked like the hem of cream trousers." 

The photographer's voice then broke in court as he continued with his evidence.

"I wanted someone else to confirm before I phoned the emergency services so I waited for some passers-by," he said.

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He said that he saw a family but he didn't want to ask them because of the children. He then saw two young men with a dog coming into the area who agreed to check with Mr Prosser.

After the men agreed with what Mr Prosser said he saw, the emergency services when then called to the area and Mr Carreno's body was recovered.

The trial continues.