Neil Thompson, 45, was found dead on a playing field at Smestow Academy in Wolverhampton on 19 January this year by an 11-year-old pupil preparing for a PE lesson. An inquest heard he died from aspiration of blood resulting from traumatic facial injuries and a traumatic head injury, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigation and timeline
Police initially launched a homicide investigation, but the hearing was told that uncertainty still surrounded exactly how he sustained his fatal injuries. Mr Thompson had left his home on an electric bike at approximately 8.17pm the previous evening to visit a friend, departing at around 1am the following morning, reports Birmingham Live.
CCTV footage showed him travelling along a canal towpath at 1.26am, before a dog walker passing through Smestow Valley Nature Reserve photographed him in the school grounds at roughly 7.15am. He was believed to still be alive at that point, but what took place during the intervening hours remained unclear, the inquest was told.
Post-mortem findings
A post-mortem examination carried out on 22 January revealed significant injuries to the left side of Mr Thompson's face, evidence of a traumatic brain injury and a fracture around the left eye socket. Mr Thompson, from Castlecroft, Wolverhampton, had also suffered an injury to the front of his neck.
Consultant pathologist Dr Brett Lockyer confirmed the injuries were in line with blunt-force trauma, noting that Mr Thompson's wounds could have been caused by a severe fall or possibly an attack.
Police investigation details
Detective Inspector Joe Davenport of West Midlands Police, who led the murder investigation, informed the inquest during his testimony that officers had carried out a thorough CCTV and forensic examination. The investigation positioned Mr Thompson on the canal towpath between roughly 1am and 1.26am, though no CCTV recordings existed showing the incident during which he suffered his injuries.
Det Insp Davenport disclosed to the inquest that his own belief was that Mr Thompson might have been thrown from his bike while cycling at pace along the uneven towpath in poor weather. The inquest also heard there was no definitive explanation for how Mr Thompson ended up at the school playing field where his body was later found.
He would have needed to climb over or pass through a fence to access the school premises, but investigators could not establish how or when he had completed that journey, with officers discovering no confirmed damage or blood traces along the towpath during their enquiries.
No evidence of another person
CCTV recordings from Smestow Academy and multiple entry points to the nature reserve showed no sign of another person with Mr Thompson on the canal towpath or near the school site at the time in question. Investigators also found no evidence to indicate that Mr Thompson had been the victim of robbery.
Despite this, DI Davenport acknowledged that it was impossible to completely seal off the entire nature reserve, meaning the prospect of another person's involvement could not be entirely discounted.
Coroner's conclusion and family tribute
Black Country Area Coroner Mrs Joanne Lees recorded a narrative conclusion. She confirmed that Mr Thompson's death resulted from the aspiration of blood brought about by traumatic facial injuries and a traumatic head injury, with the circumstances behind those injuries remaining unclear.
In a statement issued at the time of his passing, Mr Thompson's family said: "Our beautiful son, brother, father and friend Chuck, very much loved in the community of fishing, his one true love. His love for life and funny stories touched the lives of so many people."
The father of the 11-year-old girl who came across the body previously disclosed how she had been left 'really shaken up' by the distressing discovery. He said: "My daughter phoned her mom up, screaming, and told her that she found a dead body by the goal posts on the field. She's only 11 years of age. They went out for PE and it was very foggy. It's left her really shaken up. It's terrible what she's had to see."
