Police officer Rehaan Akhtar, aged 28, drowned after falling into a harbour following a night out with friends, an inquest has concluded. The constable, who served with South Wales Police, had been drinking heavily and was last seen in the early hours of November 23 last year. He did not return to the youth hostel where he was staying and was reported missing. His body was recovered by divers from Bristol harbourside on the morning of November 24.
Details of the Evening
Corey Griffiths, who was out with Mr Akhtar that evening, told Avon Coroner's Court that they started drinking in the afternoon and continued until after midnight. In a written statement, he said the group consumed about eight pints of lager, two cocktails, and a Jagerbomb across several pubs and bars in Bristol. At the end of the evening, Mr Griffiths and Mr Akhtar returned to their accommodation while three friends stayed out for food. Mr Griffiths stated: "I walked over the bridge with Rehaan and I remember talking and being on my phone. Then I next recall being inside the hostel trying to get the key for the room. I thought in the morning that Rehaan had been with me when I checked in, but clearly that wasn't correct." He added that Mr Akhtar appeared drunk but no more so than the rest of the group.
Medical Evidence
A post-mortem examination confirmed drowning as the cause of death. Toxicology tests revealed a blood alcohol reading of 260mg per 100ml of blood, three times the drink-drive limit. Pathologist Dr Karin Denton said this level of alcohol would have likely affected his speech and ability to walk, contributing to the fall into the harbour. She noted: "The water is very cold at that time of year." A police investigation found no third-party involvement, and CCTV showed someone matching Mr Akhtar's description falling into the river from the jetty dock in front of the Arnolfini arts centre.
Coroner's Conclusion
Area coroner Dr Peter Harrowing recorded a conclusion of accidental death. He stated: "I've heard evidence that he was in Bristol with friends, visited various establishments and was consuming alcohol for a number of hours. He went to return to his accommodation, but for some reason – perhaps becoming disorientated – he then sadly falls into the water drowning." The coroner did not issue a prevention of future deaths report after hearing evidence from the Bristol harbour master about ongoing safety improvements.
Safety Measures
David Lockwood, the harbour master, told the court that the harbour is regularly inspected, with improvements to signage, rescue equipment, and rerouting a cycle path. He said: "A blanket solution, for example fencing the whole estate, is not recommended as an acceptable or practical control method. Work is ongoing to provide and maintain aids to those who fall into the water, such as grab chains and ladders." He emphasised the city's commitment to enhancing safety based on evidence and partnership working.
Family's Response
Mr Akhtar, from Llanelli, joined South Wales Police as a police community support officer in Cardiff in October 2021 and became a PC based in Swansea in September 2023. After the inquest, his sisters Meena and Rabia Najmi expressed disappointment that no drastic safety measures would be implemented. Meena said: "It is quite disappointing to hear that there's going to be no kind of drastic safety measures put in place to prevent it happening in future. There's nothing to say it's not going to happen again. We are just confused as to how many more times it's got to happen before safety measures are put in place." She cited Swansea Marina, where railings were introduced after multiple deaths, as an example. She added: "We will continue to push, we will continue to fight, to try and push for some safety measures because we don't want any other families to have to go through what we've been through. It could have been avoided if the right safety measures were in place, in our opinion."
