River tragedy student 'had been drinking' - inquest

Leeds Coroners’ Court heard how the 19-year-old was “ejected” from the Mission nightclub at 3am on Friday, February 26, and was later seen on CCTV in the Riverside Court area of Leeds.

At Monday's inquest, the West Yorkshire Coroner, Mr David Hinchliff, heard how he was last seen on camera 20 minutes later.

Matthew’s body was found a week later following a police search of the river.

A police spokesman said there were no suspicious circumstances in his death.

Matthew’s friends have called for improvements to fencing along the riverbank near where he was found.

They have launched a petition calling on Leeds City Council to make the riverbank safer and are planning a demonstration in the city next month.

Fellow student Gavin Terry also died after falling into the same river two years ago.

The inquest into Matthew’s death heard how his body was discovered in the river on the afternoon of March 5, a short distance from where he had originally gone missing.

Mr Hinchliff also heard that Matthew had spent the evening drinking with friends. 

He was seen on CCTV in the Riverside Court area of Leeds at about 3am, the hearing was hold.

He was reported missing by his family when he did not attend a charity event in Rotherham.

Police made desperate appeals on YouTube and Facebook for the public's help in tracing him before finding his body a week later.

Three dedicated Facebook sites for Matthew, a first year geography student at Leeds University and a former Wickersley Comprehensive pupil, have attracted over 50,000 members between them.