A Nottingham dad who drowned in the River Trent probably slipped and fell into the water while walking home from a birthday party, a coroner has said.
Michael Bugg, from Silverdale, was reported missing on August 21 by his girlfriend Kelly, after he failed to return home from a night out.
He’d last been seen leaving a friend’s 40th birthday party at the Southbank Bar, Trent Bridge, and his disappearance prompted a huge police search, backed by volunteers.
An inquest into his death at Nottingham Coroner’s Court on Thursday heard Mr Bugg was seen heading in the direction of the Trent Bridge Inn, away from the river, when he left the bar.
The last CCTV sighting of him showed him passing the Sandicliffe Garage on Loughborough Road.
The search that followed included a social media campaign, specialist police boat teams and organised volunteers.
His body was found in the river on August 24, close to County Hall.
Det Con Lindsay Wood, of Notts Police, said all statements given by Michael’s family, friends and colleagues consistently said he was a “happy family man”.
He’d been employed and had been appearing to do well in his job, and had no history of mental illness.
The 39-year-old had also appeared happy and contented at his friend’s party.
The post-mortem examination revealed he had alcohol levels around twice the legal limit for driving in his system-however this was considered to be “not hugely excessive”.
It is believed he attempted to go down Wilford Road, leading to the waterway, in order to get home.
However, there is no CCTV in the area and Nottinghamshire Coroner Mairin Casey said it was not possible to know exactly what happened.
Ms Casey was told that there was no evidence of self harm or third party involvement, but he may have been urinating into the water when he slipped and fell because his trousers and belt were undone.
She ruled Mr Bugg’s death was an accident.
“To all accounts, his life was like all others- it was an ordinary life. This is an appallingly tragic case,” she said.
