Teenager died after drinking binge

By Matt Eley

DETAILS surrounding the last movements of a teenager who drowned in a Suffolk river after attending illegal rave following a drinking binge in Ipswich have been heard at an inquest today.

The body of 17-year-old David Callaghan was found in the River Orwell on October 28 between Princes Street bridge and Stoke bridge.

In a statement read at Ipswich Coroner's Court today, Reginald Callaghan, the teenager's father said his son "appeared to have nothing troubling him".

He added he did not believe his son took drugs and that he had "never heard anybody say a bad word about David".

The court also heard evidence from David's friend Ross Parks. He told the court they had travelled from Colchester to attend a rave at Ranelagh Road, Ipswich to celebrate Mr Park's 18th birthday.

He said he was aware that David smoked marijuana but did not think he took hard drugs.

He said his friend had been drinking After Shock and appeared to be drunk but not out of control.

The two teenagers lost each other late in the night and Mr Parks went home assuming David had caught the train back to Essex.

Residents of Ranelagh Road gave evidence at the inquest to describe a man who was behaving strangely outside the rave.

Martin Hamblin, of Ranelagh Road, who works as an ambulance technician for East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust said he saw the 17-year-old walk into a fence about three times.

He said he believes the teenager's behaviour was probably due to a combination of alcohol and drugs. Mr Hamblin continued to say that he watched David narrowly avoid being hit by a car as he crossed Ranelagh Road. He described two cars braking sharply to avoid the teenager.

The ambulance technician said he was so concerned about this behaviour that he reported it to the police in Ranelagh Road.

Other witnesses added that they had also seen a man matching David's description acting in an "erratic manner".

The inquest continues.