Inquest Into Marc Hutton's Death Inconclusive
Coroner states that "we simply don’t know what happened"
Westminster coroner Dr William Dolman heard about the huge police search launched in February this year when 28 year old Marc Hutton went missing from his Sefton Street home on 28th February 2014.
Marc had been recovering from minor knee surgery which had taken place on the 19th February. His family and friends believe that Marc may have suffered an adverse reaction to the anaesthetic used during the operation.
He had been staying with his parents in Ealing following the operation and in the two days prior to his death he had visited hospital three times with concerns about a reaction to the operation and suicidal thoughts. The hospital did not consider him a serious risk.
Mark at his home on the day he disappeared
Marc returned to his Putney home the 28th and went out with a friend to the pub before telling his flatmate that he was going to get food - he never returned. His father called the police and reported him missing on the 2nd March as he had not returned home not answered his mobile phone.
Wandsworth police
ran an intensive man hunt with a helicopter over Putney Common & the river and 15 officers on the case. Marc's body was found in the Thames near Lots Road in Fulham
Dr William Dolman said:
"Because of the long gap, the gap in evidence, it would be impossible for me to come to any direct conclusion. This means my conclusion has to be unsatisfactory. We simply don’t know what happened."
He said that post op Marc was:
"Clearly not himself, anxious, with what sounded like panic attacks at the time. He had no past serious psychological history or suicide attempts. In short we have a man clearly anxious and depressed following very minor surgery for a long standing knee problem.
"We don’t know how he came to be in the River Thames. A man on crutches - did he slip? Did he fall? Was it an accident or was it deliberate?"
Dr Dolman offered Mr Hutton's family his condolences and stated that no one was to blame for what had happened.
September 11, 2014