An inquest has opened into the death of a student who was found after a month long search by police. Film student Charley Gadd was found in the River Irwell by Media City on January 10 this year.
Charley, 20, lived on Otton Road, Sudbury, Suffolk, and was a student at the University of Essex. He was last seen on December 11 last year after attending Warehouse Project in the city centre with his parents.
Police Coroners Officer, David Wood, told the opening at South Manchester Coroners Court police carried out a 'serious investigation' after he was reported missing by his parents. They were provided with a recent description and photograph of Charley to help with this.
His parents said he had 'ran off' after being last seen near the Spar Store in St Mary's Gate at around 1.10am on Saturday December 11. His family spent hours desperately trying to find him before reporting him missing to police.
His last known movements were caught on CCTV, putting him outside the Royal Exchange Theatre, heading towards St Annes Street, just before 1.15am. Following his disappearance specialist search teams and divers were spotted in the water near the Lowry hotel.
PCO Wood told the court he was present on January 10 when Charley was identified by another officer using an ID and bank card found in his wallet. Consultant Pathologist Dr Andrew Yates has carried out a post mortem examination where an initial finding into Charley's cause of death of 'presumed drowning' has been recorded. However, more investigations are being carried out.
Area coroner Chris Morris has set a provisional inquest date for June 30 of this year.
