Drowned teenager's death still a mystery

12:13pm Wednesday 3rd September 2008

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THE death of teenager Joshua Beasley remains a mystery after the inquest into how he died.

Joshua, aged 17, of Effingham Road, Lee, disappeared on Christmas Eve last year after drinking with friends in Greenwich.

He was last seen near the Hoy Inn, Creek Road, Deptford, at 6pm on Christmas Eve.

His drowned body was found washed ashore from the Thames in Barking on January 21.

But the inquest recorded an open verdict after hearing how Joshua drowned was a mystery.

His parents Ruth Harrison and Paul Beasley asked the coroner to recommend measures preventing similar deaths, after hearing how their son had bought a bottle of vodka from an off-licence and had drinks at The Gate Clock pub, Creek Road, Greenwich.

But coroner Gail Elliman said there was not sufficent evidence relating alcohol to his death to do that.

The coroner said: "Despite a huge amount of information in relation to before Joshua died there's very little answers to the questions as to how, when and where he did die.

"I'm bound to conclude that I'm going to give an open verdict."

In a statement read outside court Josh's uncle Michael Harrison said: "Josh was a beautiful boy, kind, caring, intelligent and witty. We've been devastated by his death and we miss him and love him very much.

"As a family we'll now be considering any further actions that could be taken in this regard."

Pathologist Dr Peter Jerreat ruled the cause of death was immersion but it was impossible to say how long Joshua had been in the water.

He revealed Joshua's body contained 233mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, a level equivalent of being four times over the drink-drive limit.

During the inquest Detective Inspector Chris Stanley, of the Serious Crime Directorate at Lewisham, paid tribute to Joshua's family.

He said: "The dignity the family have shown throughout this investigation has been remarkable really."

And he praised teachers and pupils at Thomas Tallis School, Kidbrooke Park Road, Blackheath, where Joshua studied for his A levels.

The Southwark Coroners' Court inquest on September 3 had been adjourned from July 14.