Thames swim prank ends in tragedy for promising law student

12 April 2012

A PROMISING law student died after he stripped off and tried to swim across the Thames as part of a drunken prank.

Niall Pawsey, 20, sparked a major search operation when he disappeared underwater in Kingston last Thursday afternoon.

Police, firefighters and the coastguard from Teddington Lock scoured the river in a bid to find him after he jumped in near the Kingston Mill pub at about 5.30pm. Mr Pawsey's body was pulled from the water by police divers on Sunday.

The London Coastguard said he was believed to have been intoxicated and naked when he went into the river.

Chris Dingle, Kingston University Students' Union president elect, said: "He was a very fun, vibrant character and very much the life and soul of the campus at Kingston Hill." Friends will gather in a bar at the campus tonight to remember him.

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