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.
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'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.
