Tragic Drowning of Student in Flooded Oxford Park After Night Out
An inquest has heard the harrowing details of how a university student accidentally drowned in a flooded Oxford park after phoning his girlfriend to report that a man had attempted to rape him. Fintan Jack Feltham, an 18-year-old University of Reading student, made the distressing call in the early hours of November 27, claiming he had been attacked while out with friends, resulting in the loss of his glasses.
Final Hours and Distress Calls
Mr Feltham, who was studying War, Peace and International Relations, had been in Oxford for army cadet training. He embarked on a night out with fellow cadets from Falklands House, where the group wore revealing attire including dresses. After drinking at the cadet bar and The Swan and Castle pub, they proceeded to Plush, an LGBT+ nightclub, just after midnight.
By approximately 2.30am, Mr Feltham was ejected from Plush due to intoxication. The inquest highlighted there were 'missed opportunities' at the venue as his intoxication escalated. Alexander Bloomfield, Thames Valley Police's civil alcohol licensing officer, noted that while he was satisfied with Mr Feltham's admission to the club, greater safety measures could have been implemented.
A post-mortem examination revealed Mr Feltham was two and a half times over the legal driving limit. His group had intended to catch the last train back to Reading, but CCTV footage captured him 'staggering' down St Aldates, Abingdon Road, and Whitehouse Road.
Girlfriend's Account and Police Response
During his walk, Mr Feltham repeatedly called his girlfriend Molly, who returned his call at 2.34am. Over the next hour, they had several conversations, with the final call commencing at 3.20am and cutting out ten minutes later, likely due to a depleted battery.
Molly informed the inquest: 'He said some guy tried to rape him. He said the guy was a b******. That is when he said he lost his glasses.' She added: 'He kept saying he was really cold and scared… I have never heard him be like that before.'
Police stated they found no evidence of an assault, though acknowledged an attack was 'possible' during an eight-minute gap in CCTV coverage as he traversed the town. Mr Feltham's last camera sighting was on Whitehouse Road at 3.31am, with 'no direct evidence' of his subsequent route.
Molly contacted police just before 4am, logging a welfare concern. Officers responded 48 minutes later, checking his last Snapchat location, his Reading accommodation, taxi ranks, the train station, and hospitals. It was not until 11.53am the following morning that he was classified as a high-risk missing person. Despite searches, his body was discovered by a member of the public in a flooded field near Grandpont Recreation Park on December 3.
Investigation and Oversight Findings
A later review disclosed that police missed a sighting of Mr Feltham's body on a drone camera. Thames Valley Police asserted it conducted a 'thorough investigation' that identified learning points but 'found nothing that impacted the effectiveness of the initial response or the sad outcome in this case'.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) received a request to review the handling of a complaint regarding the force's investigation into Fintan's death. In September 2025, the IOPC determined the complaint outcome was 'not reasonable and proportionate' and upheld the review. It is currently investigating a further request to review the force's handling of its reinvestigation. The force declined to comment on the ongoing complaint.
Coroner's Verdict and Family Tributes
At the inquest on Thursday, the coroner concluded that flooding, intoxication, and the loss of his glasses contributed to Mr Feltham's death. His father described him as an 'intelligent, well-loved and energetic individual who was well respected by his peers'.
He expressed: 'His loss has not just been felt by his family and friends, but anyone who has spent a mere moment with him. We cannot get Fintan back, but we hope today lessons will be learned, changes will be made and Fintan will leave behind a legacy that we hope will prevent future deaths.' He added: 'Fintan was an amazing person with a fantastic future ahead and he achieved so much in his 18 years with us.'
