Police Officer In Thame Drowning Inquest Dismisses Bullying Theory

THE investigating police office in the Thame drowning case, currently the suject of a Jury Inquest, has today said that there is no suggestion whatsoever that bullying played any part in the death of 11 year-old Nathan Matthews.
Detective Sargeant Alan Clements, based at Thame police station, was questioned for the second time today about his investigation into the death of Nathan.
D S Clements told the Coroner that the case was “tragic but not suspicious.” He said that during his investigations, he found no suggestion of Nathan being bullied at school, adding that there had been a “large amount of mis-representation in the press” shortly after the incident, which had an effect on the staff and children, one of the girls in particular suffering from Post Traumatic Disorder.

He said: “I found it inconceivable that an eleven year-old could drown and I would like to have come up with an answer for the family but I am unable to do so.”

Following questioning by the Matthews family lawyer, DS Clements re-itterated that from his evidence gathered from other children in Nathan’s relay team and others, and their positioning at the time of the incident, he was sure that Nathan had been under the water for between 30-40 seconds.

Tomorrow the Coroner will give his summing up and the Jury will consider their verdict as to the time, the place and the circumstances of Nathan Matthews’s death.

Photo: Penny and Terry Matthews, Nathan’s parents.
Courtesy of the Daily Mail website (Copyright applies)