Charlie Saywell: Soldier found dead in Chatham river after being punched in face for 'getting in wrong car'

A soldier was found dead in a river in Chatham after making one last phone call to say he was assaulted for getting in the wrong car. The body of Charlie Saywell, 25 was retrieved from River Medway near Main Gate Road at 10.46am on Tuesday, March 5.

Saywell, who has been described as a 'gentle giant', had been socialising with friends the previous evening before taking a local taxi to his address in Brompton. According to Kent Police, instead of going into his accommodation it is thought he chose to take a walk into Chatham town centre between 12.10am and 2.40am.

He is believed to have walked past Primark in Chatham High Street before he visited a fast-food outlet and may have mistakenly got into an unidentified car nearby, where it is reported he was assaulted by the driver and suffered facial injuries. Now his family is asking for witnesses to his last moments to come forward.

Charlie’s mother, Victoria Brown, said: "If you have witnessed my son Charlie’s movement during the early hours of that morning and can offer any information, however small, please can you contact Kent Police so our family can have some answers about what happened to him."

Detective Sergeant Karen Caulfield said: "While we do not have specific information about where Charlie went between 12.10am and 2.40am, he had a phone conversation before his death which indicated he may have suffered an assault in the town during that period.

"We are appealing to anyone who may have seen Charlie walking in the Gillingham and Chatham areas during these times. We are particularly keen to hear from anybody who saw him in a fast-food outlet or involved in an altercation in or near to a car.

"At this stage we are not treating Charlie’s death as suspicious, however, it is important we understand where he visited and what happened to him prior to his tragic death."

A fundraising appeal has since been launched since his death. Family friend Joe Leishman wrote on GoFundMe: "For those of you that wasn’t lucky enough to meet or know our Charlie, he was a gentle giant. He was a huge role model and a massive part of my life. I looked up to Charlie both physically and mentally and he sadly passed away recently at the age of 25.

"I know there will be a lot of people attending the service and would appreciate anything to go towards an utmost respectful funeral as it is the very least that boy deserves."

Saywell was last seen wearing a dark navy coloured short sleeved t-shirt, khaki coloured cargo trousers and white trainers. Anyone with information is asked to call the Kent Police appeal line on 01634 792209, quoting reference 46/36226/24. Drivers with dashcam and residents or businesses with private CCTV are also asked to check for relevant footage.