Detectives investigating the death of Neil Thompson, a 45-year-old dad found on the grounds of Smestow Academy in Wolverhampton, have been left with several unanswered questions, as an inquest recorded a narrative conclusion.
Mr Thompson was discovered by a schoolgirl on the playing fields ahead of a PE lesson on the morning of January 19, in cold and foggy conditions. The fields run directly alongside a canal, with a towpath opposite that is popular with dog walkers, runners and cyclists. The location sits between Castlecroft and Wightwick, close to the Staffordshire border.
Initially, officers treated the case as a murder investigation, but later concluded there was no foul play. They now believe he may have crashed his e-bike while riding along the towpath in the dark during poor weather. However, the exact circumstances surrounding his death remain unknown.
Fatal injuries and missing e-bike
At the inquest, consultant pathologist Dr Brett Lockyer stated that Mr Thompson's injuries were consistent with blunt-force trauma, adding that they could have resulted from a heavy fall or alternatively from an assault. He suffered a traumatic brain injury and a fracture around the left eye socket.
A key question is what happened to his e-bike. It was not found anywhere nearby despite thorough searches. If Mr Thompson had crashed, the bike would be expected to be somewhere close by. It was not handed in to police despite public appeals, raising the possibility it was stolen or removed by someone else.
How did he get into the school field?
Another confusing element is how Mr Thompson ended up in the school field. A bridge crosses the canal, and a path runs alongside the field, but a large fence, along with trees, hedges and brambles, separates the two. It would not be easy for a fully fit adult to scale it, let alone someone with traumatic injuries.
Investigators were unable to determine how or when he made that journey, with no confirmed damage or blood evidence found along the towpath throughout their investigation. CCTV footage from Smestow Academy and numerous access points to the nature reserve revealed no indication of another individual accompanying Mr Thompson at the relevant time. There was also no evidence he had been robbed.
Nature reserve and CCTV gaps
The path alongside the school field leads to a vast nature reserve, popular with dog walkers and local families, with tracks turning off in various directions. Detective Inspector Joe Davenport conceded that the entire nature reserve could not be completely cordoned off, meaning the possibility of another individual's involvement could not be wholly ruled out.
CCTV trawls placed Mr Thompson on the canal between 1am and 1.26am, yet no CCTV footage existed capturing the incident in which he sustained his injuries. Despite detectives dismissing third-party involvement, Dr Lockyer's comments leave open the possibility.
Black Country Area Coroner Mrs Joanne Lees recorded a narrative conclusion, stating that Mr Thompson died from aspiration of blood caused by traumatic facial injuries and a traumatic head injury, with the circumstances surrounding those injuries remaining unknown. Loved ones told how the dad loved fishing in the local area, and his "love for life and funny stories touched the lives of so many people". It is likely the exact circumstances of his death will never be fully known.
