Man died after Romsey fishing lake fight, inquest hears

A man drowned in a fishing lake after taking cocaine and fighting with a fellow angler, an inquest has heard.

Dane Butler, 30, was found in the water at Longbridge Lakes near Romsey in the early hours of 26 June 2020.

Four people were arrested on suspicion of murder but police later said the death was not suspicious.

Hampshire senior coroner Chris Wilkinson concluded Mr Butler died accidentally after entering the water in a state of drug-induced paranoia.

The angler was among a party of three men and a teenager who were camping by the lakes on a two-day fishing trip, the coroner was told.

Mr Butler sent a text shortly before his death in which he said he was "tripping" on drugs and was unable to walk, the inquest heard.

At about 02:00 BST, he tried to punch a member of his party, Robert Brown, before fleeing and invading a stranger's tent, the coroner was told.

The stranger, Tom Nolan, said he woke to find Mr Butler crawling into his bivvy and saying: "Help me, they're after me."

Mr Nolan said: "He had eyes the size of saucers... and was making a wailing noise."

After overpowering the intruder, Mr Nolan said he called the police before hearing a man shout: "He's in the water."

Mr Butler could be seen wading away from the bank a few minutes before his lifeless body was recovered, Mr Nolan said.

Mr Nolan and the three members of Mr Butler's party - Mark Windmill, Mr Brown and Mr Brown's son - were subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder before being released with no further action.

The coroner said the deceased had instigated a fight in a state of paranoia, induced by cocaine and possibly other drugs.

Mr Wilkinson concluded: "An altercation took place during which Dane became very fearful for his own safety.

"Whilst others were distracted, it appears he entered the water... [as if] trying to escape from someone trying to attack him.

"This was a tragic set of circumstances where Dane was under the influence of one or more drugs that led him to enter the water in a paranoid state."

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