Bognor sea death inquest: Bethany Skinner in boyfriend row

Bethany Skinner, 22, who could not swim and was "petrified of water", entered the sea during the argument and was dragged out by the tide.

Her boyfriend, former lifeguard Philip Errickson desperately tried to save her from the fierce waves but she was swept under the pier. 

Speaking at the inquest in Crawley, he said: "We were arguing. It wasn't until she was seemingly in trouble that I went in."

"The tide was very tough. The waves were strong. I had never seen anything like the waves."

Bethany Skinner worked at Butlin's in Bognor

Bethany - known to friends as Beth - was working at Butlin's in Bognor to pay off her student overdraft after graduating with a first class degree in fine art.

She had been in a relationship with Philip for three months, with the pair both working as bartenders at the resort. 

The pair went out with four male colleagues on Saturday February 23, 2019.

They started drinking at a Wetherspoons pub at around 7pm before going on to Sheiks nightclub.

The inquest heard how Philip was mocked for being with Beth on what was originally a boys' night out with Beth offering to go home.

Speaking at the inquest, Philip said: "At first it was because the boys wanted it to be a lads' night.

"But it was joking, saying I cannot go anywhere on my own.

"Beth did originally say she would go home, but I did not want her to.

"We had a little bit of an argument. She was saying that I was spending a bit of time with the boys.

"When she tried to go, I tried to stop her by grabbing her arm to stop her from going and the bouncers thought it was a big fight and they told us to leave.

"It started off as calm but it did turn out as argumentative. That was the first time we had ever had a proper argument."

READ MORE: Tributes paid to woman, 22, who died days after being found in sea

Philip ran after Beth and the pair ended up on the beach front where she stepped into the sea, the inquest heard.

Beth, of Taunton, Somerset, entered the sea with the water up to her ankles while Philip stood further up the beach, the coroner heard.

Philip said: "She walked down to the water and I was on the top by the slope. I was trying to stop an argument and stop us from falling out.

"I was trying to shout to her to calm down and she was trying to shout at me to leave her alone and that she wanted some space."

Bethany Skinner was a talented artist

Evidence showed the sea was fierce, with 10 to 15 metre waves and the biggest tides of the year during the high water springs.

Philip ran in to help Beth and tried to grab her by the arm and waist but was unable to pull her to safety.

He left to get help and emergency services were called. He was then given a thermal blanket and taken to hospital for checks.

Philip said: "I was cold and I just kept asking how Beth was and is she okay.

"I just remember shouting 'Beth is in the sea'."

RNLI crew members found Beth unresponsive in the water in the early hours of Sunday morning.

She was rushed to St Richard's Hospital where she died the following day on February 26, 2019.

Heartbroken relatives including Beth's mum Nikki Saunders and sister Victoria Skinner, attended her inquest at Crawley Coroner's Court today.

Ian Wheaton, representing Beth's family, told the inquest she was "petrified of water".

READ MORE: 22-year-old woman pulled from sea dies in hospital

In a statement read to the inquest, the family said: "Beth was a beautiful young woman. She was cheeky and vivacious as a child.

"She graduated in fine art from Plymouth University in 2018 with a first class degree.

"She was very artistic and loved to express herself through art.

"The family cannot understand what happened to end her life on that night and will always be tormented by this."

A police investigation was launched and officers carried out extensive searches along the beach.

DS Graham Leaney told the inquest Beth entered the water on the eastern side of the pier where she was dragged under and discovered on the western side.

She was found with bruising across her body which was likely from the pier's steel framework and from being dragged from the water.

The popular seaside resort of Bognor

DS Leaney said: "I was unable to find any evidence that may indicate Phillip inflicting those injuries on her while on the beach or attempting to get her out of the water.

"There was some items of clothing that were recovered but not believed to be linked to the incident."

Relatives described Beth as a beautiful and talented artist who had made several trips to European art capitals and was excited to begin teaching English to children in China.

Assistant Coroner Alicia Keen concluded she died as the result of an accident with the medical cause of death as multi organ failure and immersion.

READ MORE: Art of girl found dead near pier sold to raise money for lifeboat crew

Concluding the inquest, Ms Keen said: "It is an absolute tragedy.

"In this case you can never be 100 per cent sure what happened.

"They did end up on the beach. The weather was very windy. It was high water springs, it was the biggest tides of the year.

"It was very high waves, very fierce so much so that nobody else tried to go in.

"It most certainly was not a deliberate act for Beth to end up in that situation.

"I can only conclude that this was an accident."