Donald Smith threw himself into the River Thames because he was terrified of giving evidence in a Crown Court trial.

Mr Smith's family claims he jumped into the river and drowned just hours before an assault case at Oxford Crown Court today.

His body was found in the river at 2.45pm on Saturday, about half-a-mile south of Sandford Lock. A post-mortem examination carried out yesterday showed he died from drowning but police are still investigating how he came to be in the river.

Divorced dad-of-four Mr Smith, 58, of Moorbank, Blackbird Leys, had suffered serious head injuries, a broken jaw and cheekbone in an assault in Nelson Street, Oxford, in September. A 24-year-old man was arrested and charged with causing grievous bodily harm and a trial was due to begin today.

Mr Smith's grieving mum May Clarke, 80, told the Oxford Mail she believed he took his own life because he was increasingly worried about the impending court case.

Mrs Clarke, also of Moorbank, said: "The last time I saw Donald he told me he was going for a walk. I tried to keep him here because he should not have gone out on his own. He was in such a bad state.

"He just said, 'I love you, mum', and that was the last I saw of him.

"When the police came round I knew something had gone wrong. I realised then that when he went out, he had been determined to do something to himself." Mr Smith's step-brother Andrew Clarke added: "The attack nearly killed him. He used to be the life and soul of the party but after the attack he was just a bag of nerves. He would have had to appear in court but he was not up to it at all."

In the wake of Mr Smith's death, the trial was adjourned for six weeks and the defendant released on conditional bail.

Jonathan Coode, prosecuting, told the court: "Sadly, the alleged victim in this case, Mr Smith, was found dead on Saturday in the River Thames. The cause of death is drowning but investigations are under way." The death is the second tragedy on the Thames in two weeks. Earlier this month, two-year-old Ashley Jordan died when he fell from a pleasure cruiser moored at Donnington Bridge, Oxford. He was not wearing a life-jacket. The body of the Marsh Baldon youngster was found in the river by emergency services when the boat was moved.

Story date: Monday 19 April

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