A TROUBLED teenager who was "turning a corner" died when he was electrocuted at Horley railway station, an inquest has heard.
Jesse Quincey, 15, was alone at the station on April 7 last year, "stumbling" and "staggering" on the platform, when he fell on to the tracks at 8.33pm. He had been waiting for a train home to Redhill where he lived in a children's care home in Holland Close.
DC Tanya Magill of British Transport Police told the two-day inquest at Woking Coroner's Court this week that Jesse has been recorded on CCTV stealing two 500ml bottles of vodka from Tesco in Hookwood earlier that evening.
Friends of Jesse, who had spent time with him that day, said he was drinking from one of the bottles before he reached the station, and appeared "drunk".
Mark Burton, a member of staff for Southern railway working that night, told the court he heard a gasp from a passenger in front of him, turned around and saw Jesse stumbling dangerously towards the edge of platform. He said Jesse then fell off, landing in between the tracks.
He added: "I crouched down and was screaming at him to give me his arms so I could pull him back up. He seemed dazed and in shock. Another gentleman went to go down to go and get him and I put my arm across to prevent him [the other passenger]. At that time Jesse had stumbled forward onto the live line."
The inquest heard how Jesse had used his mobile phone to call 999 shortly before the incident, complaining of a minor head injury, but paramedics arrived after he had fallen onto the line.
Several friends rushed to the station after they heard an incident had occurred and saw his body lying on the tracks. One statement from a boy, read out by assistant coroner Belinda Cheney, said he knew it was Jesse because he recognised his trainers.
The court was also told a member of staff from the care home phoned Jesse on his mobile phone at 7.38pm to check on him.
Jesse passed the phone to a friend, who told the court he said to the home: "Jesse is in a bit of a drunk state, there's no way he's going to get home. I said we are on a road called The Drive and he needs picking up."
The witness said the person he spoke to "chuckled" in response.
Emma Kamdar-Scarr, a senior practitioner at the home, told the inquest on Monday: "Yes I did call him. When I phoned Jesse the phone was answered and [he said] 'Oh it's my care home someone better speak to them'. Someone else said, 'Jesse is pissed you better come and get him.' So then I was trying to say, 'Where are you?' and someone said, 'The Drive' and I remember trying to ask for Jesse and the phone was cut off. "
Giving further evidence on Tuesday, Ms Kamdar-Scarr said: "I was not dismissive. I was trying to elicit as much information so that I could get to Jesse."
Carers from the home said Jesse had a history of problems with alcohol, shoplifting and aggressive behaviour.
Despite later attempts to contact him, Jesse did not speak to anyone from the home before he died.
The court's public gallery was packed with Jesse's family, many of whom were visibly upset during proceedings. In witness statements several of his friends said Jesse was known as a "joker".
Terence Martin, Jesse's grandfather, said the teenager had been "bounced around" different care homes for much of his life.
But Mr Martin added: "He was settling down and was close to 16 and he was on his way to staying with [me]. He was tidying himself up and turning a corner.
"He was going to join the trade [become a decorator] with me and my son."
Bronwyn Silva, who worked closely with Jesse at the home and enjoyed a game of Monopoly with him on the day he died, told the court: "The last thing I remember is him looking very happy and him waving goodbye, saying he would be home at 7.30pm at the very latest. He was in a lovely mood and he had had a good day."
Assistant coroner Belinda Cheney recorded a verdict of accidental death today.
