Found Deceased UK - Anthony Knott, 33, last seen at a pub in Lewes, Sussex, 20 Dec 2019 #2

[SerenSimone]

IMO the cause is being drunk and prevention is a buddy system and obviously not to drink to excess

100% agree.

Drunk men falling in rivers whilst walking home is an age old problem. It got so bad in Bristol people were actually thinking there was a 'serial pusher' on the loose as it was happening so often;

New police statement on deaths of young men found in water

Then the city council installed special cameras that have saved two lives already;

'Two lives saved' by Bristol Harbourside's 5G cameras

Going back to AK, you have to remember he had never been to Lewes before, and was very drunk. Whatever reason he left- to find a shop, train station, bus stop, just for a walk because he was in a mood- all he had to do was turn left and walk five minutes from his last sighting and he would be by the river. I think personally he was lost and disoriented trying to get wherever he was going and has had an accident, the exact circumstances of which are going to be tricky to ascertain unless more CCTV or a witness turns up.

Of course being pushed is not impossible. But on the balance of what is likely - he was seen on CCTV alone and not followed, I assume police have accounted for the rest of the group's whereabouts, is AK really going to have had an arch nemesis lurking in a town he's never been to before? Of course could be random but seems very unlikely to me.

My partner had an incident once where he almost ended up in a canal. Men just drink themselves silly when in big groups and take risks. I think there needs to be a national campaign to encourage men to not walk home alone, perhaps more late night police patrols near waterways, CCTV etc. In this day and age something must be done to stop these awful tragedies occuring. Personal responsibility is of course a factor but we can do more as a society to raise awareness.

 

[JosieJo]

I'm still struggling with a plausible area to enter the river if it was around 8pm ish

I will be interested to know if the police have found him on camera elsewhere

The small bridge seems very unlikely imo ..surely someone would have saw or heard this on a busy evening before Christmas

What does anyone with local knowledge think ? Where is the most likely point..somewhere easy to fall in unnoticed

 

[Tantawi]

I am local and can only quote the words from the beginning of this thread , here :

 

[JosieJo]

I am local and can only quote the words from the beginning of this thread , here :

Thanks will take a look

 

[hitthenick]

I am local and can only quote the words from the beginning of this thread , here :

I think I am leaning towards him being the guy on the North St Garage CCTV footage which was removed with him going past the fire station west and east, I'd pretty much put a wager on him entering the water around that area and more probably around the car park behind the fire station which is very secluded. I'd guess until we know any further details about Anthony's health and mental well-being that this was one of those accidents with his safety perception misleading him at the water, very easily done no matter what training you have under your belt. Coupled with the current, the water temperature, him being clothed then he'd be in cold shock very quickly and from that point it's a matter of minutes for him to drown.
We were educated constantly on these kind of situations with the RNLI and we did many many exercises in shore, on rivers and out at sea in all kinds of conditions, from calm to extremely scary gales at force 9&10 with massive swells.

A person can be taken very quickly in water and die very quickly too, it really is a horrible way to lose you life. It's also a very mentally challenging thing to recover a body too from water, especially after more than 2 weeks when the person won't look anything like normal.

The search and rescue guys have obviously done a huge job in trying to find him but let me say, a body is very easily missed during a river search, it really could be anywhere, they could have even been as close as 1ft away from him and still miss him completely. I would say that he has been around Dalton Island for a while, could have been tangled around ropes possibly and eventually floated which is then how he would have been spotted.

The good and positive thing here really and it is lucky also is that he was found. He would have probably been kept around the area due to the way the currents are around the Dalton Island.

Just a bit of an insight from me after roughly 12 years service around this area. Seen this for real far too many times unfortunately.

The next bit I am hoping for is that his post mortem comes back clean, in a situation like this for the families involved, the last thing they want is anything arousing suspicions of his death circumstances, this only adds even more questions which potentially would never be answered, and people have to live the rest of their lives with those clouds forever hanging over their heads.

 

[Funky funky]

Apologies if this offends but I think out of the 3 possibilities, I feel that this was likely a suicide.
I’m basing this on his appearance in the CCTV footage, turning his phone off, wording in his fiancées statement and the fact that alcohol is/can be a depressant and alter your mental state. I don’t believe he set out to do it that night, but maybe words were had in the bar. I think on the balance of probabilities this was the outcome, it’s my opinion only though and everyone is entitled to their own of course.
I actually know somebody who done this, it can happen so fast and without reason.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

 

[JosieJo]

I'm struggling with any sort of theory none of it makes sense to me

 

[RobinCAL]

Firefighter's family 'devastated' after body found

 

[Sarahlou]

Apologies if this offends but I think out of the 3 possibilities, I feel that this was likely a suicide.
I’m basing this on his appearance in the CCTV footage, turning his phone off, wording in his fiancées statement and the fact that alcohol is/can be a depressant and alter your mental state. I don’t believe he set out to do it that night, but maybe words were had in the bar. I think on the balance of probabilities this was the outcome, it’s my opinion only though and everyone is entitled to their own of course.
I actually know somebody who done this, it can happen so fast and without reason.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Completely agree with all of this. I think it's the most likely.

 

[Walker78]

I'm struggling with any sort of theory none of it makes sense to me

This is exactly where I'm at.

Of course, everyone is entitled to theories and conclusions of how he ended up in the water based either on analysis of the information we have of his movements and of his background or on our own experiences and instincts. For me, nothing that we know about him or the events of 20th December should lead to him ending up in the river. Some members here are convinced that he would have been steaming drunk, which is a reasonable conclusion to come to if your experience is of people becoming steaming drunk after 3 or so hours of drinking. My experience - and this is not bravado - is that at 33 I could often go out for drinks from about 4pm and still be out till clubs close at 3am and get home perfectly safe. 11 hours.

It has been said that Anthony and co. Had a long journey from West Wickham to Lewes due to flooding. I've tried to find the source to no avail, but I seem to remember 2.5 hours being mentioned, which (assuming they only had a quick pint in the meet up pub, The Swan at West Wickham) would not place them in Lewes until 15.50. This corresponds with the only pubs being mentioned on their pub crawl being The Lansdown (entered around 16.00), The Royal Oak and the Lamb. We are told AK did not have a drink at The Lamb. So he'd hardly had a chance to get steaming. Obviously, people handle alcohol differently and some people can indeed get wavy on very little. But his movements in the cctv footage hardly seem the movements of a staggering drunk. They seem very purposeful and controlled albeit with bouncy gait we are told he naturally had.

So for me, falling in the river whilst urinating due to drink is un unnatural and unlikely scenario.

 

[Ann Blyth]

This is the latest article by the local paper on this tragic case, from his fiancée, Lucy, so terribly sad, can’t imagine what she and his family are going through...

Family of 'hero' firefighter found dead in river release emotional tribute

 

[Officer Dibble]

I hope they are now looking at every camera that captures part of the river banks and bridge. @Angleterre said often footage is kept for a month, so with a bit of luck Anthony was captured when he went in.

Maybe he didn't need to pee, maybe he was leaning over the railing on the bridge or sat on it or
something like that. Alcohol makes you take risks.

Or a railing that gave way? I wonder if there are any missing railings ?

 

[Officer Dibble]

I think I am leaning towards him being the guy on the North St Garage CCTV footage which was removed with him going past the fire station west and east, I'd pretty much put a wager on him entering the water around that area and more probably around the car park behind the fire station which is very secluded. I'd guess until we know any further details about Anthony's health and mental well-being that this was one of those accidents with his safety perception misleading him at the water, very easily done no matter what training you have under your belt. Coupled with the current, the water temperature, him being clothed then he'd be in cold shock very quickly and from that point it's a matter of minutes for him to drown.
We were educated constantly on these kind of situations with the RNLI and we did many many exercises in shore, on rivers and out at sea in all kinds of conditions, from calm to extremely scary gales at force 9&10 with massive swells.

A person can be taken very quickly in water and die very quickly too, it really is a horrible way to lose you life. It's also a very mentally challenging thing to recover a body too from water, especially after more than 2 weeks when the person won't look anything like normal.

The search and rescue guys have obviously done a huge job in trying to find him but let me say, a body is very easily missed during a river search, it really could be anywhere, they could have even been as close as 1ft away from him and still miss him completely. I would say that he has been around Dalton Island for a while, could have been tangled around ropes possibly and eventually floated which is then how he would have been spotted.

The good and positive thing here really and it is lucky also is that he was found. He would have probably been kept around the area due to the way the currents are around the Dalton Island.

Just a bit of an insight from me after roughly 12 years service around this area. Seen this for real far too many times unfortunately.

The next bit I am hoping for is that his post mortem comes back clean, in a situation like this for the families involved, the last thing they want is anything arousing suspicions of his death circumstances, this only adds even more questions which potentially would never be answered, and people have to live the rest of their lives with those clouds forever hanging over their heads.

I didn't think it was him at first because the jacket looked long, but later on, when a close up was shown of his jacket, it was longer than I originally had pictured in my mind and I began to wonder if it was him after all.

 

[Officer Dibble]

Apologies if this offends but I think out of the 3 possibilities, I feel that this was likely a suicide.
I’m basing this on his appearance in the CCTV footage, turning his phone off, wording in his fiancées statement and the fact that alcohol is/can be a depressant and alter your mental state. I don’t believe he set out to do it that night, but maybe words were had in the bar. I think on the balance of probabilities this was the outcome, it’s my opinion only though and everyone is entitled to their own of course.
I actually know somebody who done this, it can happen so fast and without reason.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

You make some valid points.

 

[Tantawi]

Two missing young men discovered deceased on the same day, what a sad day. I know it sounds weird but all bad things that have happened in my life happened in January as well. I hate January and I am hoping it will end soon. You guys might be right, I thought it was AK by the fire station, but distorted picture due to the weather and rain would not show him clearly. I don't think he committed suicide, there are better and easier ways to end ones life. Yes, alcohol could play a role, but seeing his photos from the cab, pub and the video from Lansdown Arms doesn't give me that impression. Why was he walking around, why alone - this is interesting. Did he want to go home early , fed up with drinking or annoyed by one of friends ? Someone might have spotted him as there are two hiding people on the second video released by the police when he walks behind the couple , then comes back in less than 20 minutes . Did they wait for him and noticed he was tipsy ? Decided to rob him ? I too, hope that there is going to be a post mortem and Lucy will get some answers. I hope she gets some help from psychotherapists and someone is helping her in this difficult time.

 

[ZsaZsa]

This is exactly where I'm at.

Of course, everyone is entitled to theories and conclusions of how he ended up in the water based either on analysis of the information we have of his movements and of his background or on our own experiences and instincts. For me, nothing that we know about him or the events of 20th December should lead to him ending up in the river. Some members here are convinced that he would have been steaming drunk, which is a reasonable conclusion to come to if your experience is of people becoming steaming drunk after 3 or so hours of drinking. My experience - and this is not bravado - is that at 33 I could often go out for drinks from about 4pm and still be out till clubs close at 3am and get home perfectly safe. 11 hours.

It has been said that Anthony and co. Had a long journey from West Wickham to Lewes due to flooding. I've tried to find the source to no avail, but I seem to remember 2.5 hours being mentioned, which (assuming they only had a quick pint in the meet up pub, The Swan at West Wickham) would not place them in Lewes until 15.50. This corresponds with the only pubs being mentioned on their pub crawl being The Lansdown (entered around 16.00), The Royal Oak and the Lamb. We are told AK did not have a drink at The Lamb. So he'd hardly had a chance to get steaming. Obviously, people handle alcohol differently and some people can indeed get wavy on very little. But his movements in the cctv footage hardly seem the movements of a staggering drunk. They seem very purposeful and controlled albeit with bouncy gait we are told he naturally had.

So for me, falling in the river whilst urinating due to drink is un unnatural and unlikely scenario.

His fiancee posted the comment on FB about their trip taking 2 1/2 hours. Someone asked her what he said when he texted her- She replied he said "I love you, I'll be home before 2am. Journey here took 2 1/2hours due to flooding".

 

[ZsaZsa]

This is exactly where I'm at.

Of course, everyone is entitled to theories and conclusions of how he ended up in the water based either on analysis of the information we have of his movements and of his background or on our own experiences and instincts. For me, nothing that we know about him or the events of 20th December should lead to him ending up in the river. Some members here are convinced that he would have been steaming drunk, which is a reasonable conclusion to come to if your experience is of people becoming steaming drunk after 3 or so hours of drinking. My experience - and this is not bravado - is that at 33 I could often go out for drinks from about 4pm and still be out till clubs close at 3am and get home perfectly safe. 11 hours.

It has been said that Anthony and co. Had a long journey from West Wickham to Lewes due to flooding. I've tried to find the source to no avail, but I seem to remember 2.5 hours being mentioned, which (assuming they only had a quick pint in the meet up pub, The Swan at West Wickham) would not place them in Lewes until 15.50. This corresponds with the only pubs being mentioned on their pub crawl being The Lansdown (entered around 16.00), The Royal Oak and the Lamb. We are told AK did not have a drink at The Lamb. So he'd hardly had a chance to get steaming. Obviously, people handle alcohol differently and some people can indeed get wavy on very little. But his movements in the cctv footage hardly seem the movements of a staggering drunk. They seem very purposeful and controlled albeit with bouncy gait we are told he naturally had.

So for me, falling in the river whilst urinating due to drink is un unnatural and unlikely scenario.

Apparently no one in that group of men noticed him leaving. His fiancee was asked about this and she responded that the evening was all a blur to them or words to that effect. I wonder if they weren't all pretty loaded by then. Maybe doing shots etc as opposed to just downing pints at each pub?

 

[Cortne]

RIP AK

 

[Tantawi]

His fiance also stated that he wasn't a big drinker. Let's wait for the post mortem.

 

[MingyMoo]

Someone might have spotted him as there are two hiding people on the second video released by the police when he walks behind the couple

I also noticed that on said video . I am now comfortable I wasn't the only one.

Mingy Moo