Christopher Kapessa: Teenager denies pushing boy into river

A teenager has denied pushing 13-year-old Christopher Kapessa into the River Cynon shortly before he drowned, an inquest at Pontypridd Coroner's Court has heard.

Christopher died after drowning on July 1st, 2019, in the River Cynon near Fernhill in Rhondda Cynon Taf.

The inquest has already heard from witnesses, who said they saw a 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, push Christopher into the river.

Christopher got into difficulty shortly after entering the water. Other children tried to rescue him before he disappeared below the surface. The inquest heard that Christopher was not a strong swimmer.

Christopher was declared dead at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil after being recovered from the river by emergency services.

Giving evidence to the inquest the boy, now aged 19, said he "fell" into Christopher but insisted that he did not push him.

Counsel for the inquest, Tom Leeper, asked the witness: "How did Christopher end up in the water?"

The boy replied: "I fell into him."

Mr Leeper asked: "Did you walk behind him and intentionally push Christopher in the back with the palm of your hands?"

The boy said: "No."

Mr Leeper asked: "After your physical contact with Christopher, what happened to Christopher?"

The boy replied: "He fell into the water."

Witnesses have previously told the hearing that another boy, now aged 17 and who cannot be named, said "You stupid c***" after the boy allegedly pushed Christopher into the river.

However, when asked whether the comment was made, the boy replied: "No".

Another 17-year-old witness told the inquest that the boy had been "laughing" after Christopher went into the river.

The boy told the inquest: "I can remember standing on the ledge, I can't remember if I was laughing or not."

During questioning from Michael Mansfield KC, representing Christopher's family, the boy was asked how he moved from the bridge to the ledge where Christopher was standing.

The boy said: "I ran to the rock then slowed down a bit. I was still moving faster than walking pace."

Mr Mansfield asked: "Are you saying you tumbled, slipped and fell just behind Christopher?"

The boy replied: "Yes."

He told the court: "I said to Chris when I was up on the bridge 'wait there, I will come and jump with you now'."

The boy said he could not remember speaking to his friends who were present, or his mother later, about accidentally slipping into Christopher.

"I can't remember anything really afterwards," he said.

Mr Mansfield asked: "Are you aware that none of the people who were present that day, your school mates, not a single one of them saw what you say happened?"

The boy replied: "Yes."

Mr Mansfield asked: "That must have made you wonder about the truth, hasn't it?"

The boy said: "No, no."

Mr Mansfield asked: "Would you be kind enough, now four years later, to reconsider what the truth in this case is - that you pushed him in because you wanted to get him in the water?"

The boy replied: "No. There was contact but I didn't push Christopher."

During the inquest, witnesses have described how the group of school friends from Mountain Ash Comprehensive School arranged to meet at the site after school on July 1 2019.

Some of the group have told the hearing that Christopher was saying both that he could and that he could not swim. He removed his glasses, top and sliders before going to stand on the ledge.

The boy accused of pushing him into the river told the inquest: "He was excited to go in. He said to me he knew he could swim but not very good.

"I remember him laughing that he wanted to jump in."

The inquest continues.