Judge died by drowning, inquest told
The crown court judge found dead in a village stream drowned on his way home from a pub after a day's shooting, an inquest heard yesterday. The body of Judge William Everard, aged 59, was discovered on Sunday morning in South Creake, where he owned a holiday home with his wife.
The crown court judge found dead in a village stream drowned on his way home from a pub after a day's shooting, an inquest heard yesterday.
The body of Judge William Everard, aged 59, was discovered on Sunday morning in South Creake, where he owned a holiday home with his wife.
An inquest was opened in Norwich yesterday and Greater Norfolk coroner William Armstrong heard a statement from farmer Henry Thompson, a member of the judge's shooting party.
Mr Armstrong said further investigations were needed to reveal the full circumstances of Judge Everard's death.
'It appears he spent the previous day shooting and then went to the Ostrich Inn pub in South Creake for a meal,' he said.
'I would like to make it clear there are no suspicious circumstances and no indication of third party involvement.'
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The inquest heard that Judge Everard left the pub alone at about 11pm, but his body was discovered in the stream at about 8am the following day.
A report from pathologist Dr Nat Cary confirmed cause of death was drowning.
A Norfolk police spokesman said: 'A forensic post-mortem examination established the cause of death as drowning and the incident appears to be a tragic accident.'
Judge Everard lived with his wife Christine in Willoughby-on-the-Wolds in Nottinghamshire, but owned a holiday home in the Bluestone Road area of South Creake.
He was a respected barrister before becoming a circuit judge in 2004 and during his time on the Midland Circuit he was at the forefront of prosecuting sexual crimes against young children.
