A POLICE officer has issued a fresh warning about the dangers of the Ouse after telling how a bartender jumped in and drowned in the bitterly cold river.

Richard Horrocks’ death last July prompted The Press to launch its Think, Don’t Swim campaign, aimed at alerting people to the dangers of falling or jumping into York’s rivers.

An inquest into his death was told yesterday that the 21-year-old leapt into the water from a balcony after completing his last shift at the Revolution bar and saying he wanted to finish “with a bit of a bang.”

York’s deputy coroner Jonathan Leach, who recorded a verdict of accidentaldeath, said he started to swim across but got into difficulties half-way across. Tests had shown he had drunk the equivalent of ten pints of beer and this could have affected his ability to swim.

Sergeant Jon Naughton said the river could be bitterly cold under the surface, and there could be strong currents and objects lying under the surface which swimmers could snag on.

He said: “My message is do not enter the river, not under any circumstances.”

Sgt Naughton said none of the others on the balcony had considered Richard to be drunk. They said it had been a very busy night and they had been cleaning up for two-and-a-half hours after closing at 3am, and had then had some drinks for an hour before leaving the bar.

He said Richard said something to the effect that he would like to finish with a ‘bit of a bang’ and wanted something a ‘bit wild to happen.’ He took items out of his pocket and then leapt over the balcony, fully clothed, into the water below and started to swim.

James Hodgkinson said in a statement that he had been out in a dinghy below the City Screen when he heard shouting from the balcony above and thought people were shouting at him.

He said he saw someone in the river, treading water, who shouted he was looking for his mate who was under the water. Mr Hodgkinson said he went in the river and dived under the surface but it was pitch black.

Richard’s mother Vicki said afterwards that attending the inquest had been a traumatic experience but she hoped it would reinforce the campaign’s message.

“I hope it will help to make people even more aware – particularly when they’ve been drinking – just how dangerous the river is.”

York Press: The Press - Comment

Inquest shows river dangers

THE last moments of a popular young York barman who died last July after jumping into the River Ouse were relived at an inquest yesterday.

Twenty-one-year-old Richard Horrocks was celebrating his last night at the Revolution Bar next to City Screen before starting a new job. He had drunk several pints of beer – and apparently wanted to end the evening on a high.

But after swimming part-way across the river, he got into trouble. Desperate efforts to save him by a friend who jumped into the water and by a man in a dinghy failed.

James Hodgkinson, who was in the dinghy, told the inquest it was pitch black. “We couldn’t see where he was,” he said.

Deputy York coroner Jonathan Leach recorded a verdict of accidental death. But Sgt John Naughton of York Police reiterated warnings about just how dangerous the Ouse could be. There were strong currents, he said – and even in summer, the water could be bitterly cold beneath the surface.

Richard’s death prompted The Press campaign Think, Don’t Swim to warn of the dangers of jumping into the city’s rivers.

Richard was the third person to have died that year. Since then, fortunately, there have been no more deaths. But there have been some near misses. As Richard’s mum Vicki stressed today, the message of our campaign remains as relevant as ever.

The Ouse can seem tempting at night, particularly if you’ve had a few to drink.

But to those who might one day find themselves tempted – for a joke, or a lark, or a dare – please, please, please stop and think of what happened to Richard. Then walk away.