A coroner has slammed a dog owner who had to be rescued from the sea by a hero passer-by who drowned trying to save her when she jumped in after her pet.
Brave grandfather Peter Jeffery – who worked as a builder for Prince William’s Duchy of Cornwall – sacrificed his own life to save Rachel Peach from stormy seas after she had gone in after one of her dogs in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset.
But at the end of the inquest into his death Ms Peach, 28, was given a highly unusual verbal mauling by senior coroner Samantha Marsh.
The coroner accused her of ‘dissatisfactory’ conduct – and praised Mr Jeffrey describing him as ‘on the other end of the spectrum of human society’ after he sacrificed his own life to save hers.
At the conclusion of this week’s inquest into 68-year-old Mr Jeffery’s death, the coroner also said Ms Peach had shown no remorse towards Mr Jeffery’s loved ones – and contrasted her conduct with Mr Jeffery’s ‘heart of gold’.
Rachel Peach (pictured) was saved from stormy seas after she went in after one of her dogs
The deadly drama unfolded on Sunday, October 29, 2023, after Ms Peach stopped at the seaside town with her three dogs to take a break from a long drive.
The inquest heard that she let the three collies – Poppy, Bess and Meg – off the lead and after they became muddy, she encouraged them into the water.
But the elder of the trio, Poppy, slipped from a jetty and fell in.
In a statement to the police at the time of the incident, Ms Peach said: ‘She was beginning to panic. I couldn’t reach her with the lead.
‘I’m not a strong swimmer and I didn’t want to go in or fall in. I jumped in to try and save her but I then got into trouble. I had her on my shoulder, trying to push her up to the jetty.
‘The tide pushed me out, I couldn’t get back and I was stuck. I tried moving a few times and I went under a few times.’
Ms Peach said she was not aware that Mr Jeffery had jumped in to help her, until after she was helped to shore by an off-duty police officer.
Brave grandfather Peter Jeffery (pictured) sacrificed his own life to save the dog owner
‘There was a lot going down and I was confused,’ she said.
Witness Darren Hall had told police she was ‘asking me to get in and help the dog and said she herself was not a strong swimmer.’
Ms Peach however denied attempting to hail passers-by to assist her with rescuing the dog.
She was brought to the shore by an off duty police officer, who threw out a life ring, and made it out of the water along with her dog.
But Mr Jeffery was not so fortunate.
Despite the best efforts of the emergency services and bystanders, including an aborted ‘snatch’ rescue attempt by a local volunteer, he became lost in the water, which witnesses described as churning ‘like a washing machine.’
Mr Jeffery, from Bath, had been enjoying a day out with his ex-wife Caroline Jeffery, who told the inquest that despite being separated remained on good terms and would often visit the beach together.
Rachel Peach (pictured) was slammed by a coroner after she had to be rescued from the sea
They had a pub lunch but Mr Jeffery had not been drinking alcohol and did what he did ‘with the intention of doing a kind thing,’ she said.
She told the court they visited the seaside town often, sometimes taking their grandchildren there to collect shells.
Recalling the tragic incident, she said Mr Jeffery jumped in after Ms Peach when he saw her in difficulty.
He was wearing an overall on top of jeans and had neglected to remove his phone or wallet before entering the sea.
The bulky nature of his clothing was considered by the coroner to have contributed to his death by drowning.
She said they had ‘weighed him down and limited his movement because none of the witnesses recall seeing him making any effort to splash around or stay above the water.’
But the court also heard from expert witnesses who said the weather conditions were such that even an experienced swimmer with protective equipment could have lost their life in the turbulent waters.
In fact, one local volunteer who tried to enter the water had to be restrained from going in to help further, the inquest heard.
Witness PC Watley had seen Mr Jeffery in the water, looking pale and ‘making no effort to swim or keep his head up.’
Peter Jeffery had been enjoying a day out with his ex-wife Caroline Jeffery (pictured together)
The inquest also heard from Graham Hallsworth, a volunteer with Burnham Search and Rescue, who explained just how treacherous the conditions were that day.
He said: ‘I could only see him for a few seconds, I was preparing to carry out a rescue of the male, attaching my line, by that time he was gone and no longer in sight.
‘At that time the sea swirls round like a washing machine and it is not advisable to enter the water.
‘In my opinion the sea is so dangerous at this time it would have been inadvisable even to enter the water with protective clothing.’
Mr Jeffery’s body was discovered on November 12 by a rowing crew on Stert Island, an uninhabited body of land in the Bristol Channel.
Ms Peach did not attend in person but gave evidence to the inquest by video link, where coroner Mrs Marsh put it to her that there was a ‘reluctance to assist with the coronial enquiry.’
Responding, Ms Peach blamed the police, who she accused of ‘messing her about.’
She said: ‘I had so many people ask me what had gone on and a week later I got asked for another statement and said yes initially and arranged that several times and I got fed up.
‘I just got fed up with being messed around by the police and I was asked if I wanted to so I thought it was optional.’
Rachel Peach (pictured) was visiting the seaside town of Burnham-on-Sea with her three dogs
Paying tribute to Mr Jeffery, his heartbroken son Stuart said: ‘He was a practical man who would always find the solution to any problem.
‘He was physically fit and looked younger than 68, he regularly went paddleboarding with his brother Graham. He loved being around the sea and coastal areas.
‘If dad saw anyone in trouble, he would immediately do what he could to help them.
‘I believe he would have gone in to try and help rather than consider his own safety or the risk involved. That was the kind of man dad was.’
Mr Jeffery’s family described him as a ‘beloved dad, brother and grampy’ and had thanked the emergency services for trying to help him.
They also noted the ‘kindness’ of his colleagues at the Duchy of Cornwall, who described him as ‘irreplaceable.’
He had worked as an estate builder for the Duchy since 1981 and was based in Newton St Loe.
Summing up, Ms Marsh said: ‘Peter had gone to Burnham beach mid to late afternoon. He had gone to the pub for lunch but hadn’t consumed any alcohol.
‘Whilst at the beach he noticed a woman, Ms Peach, she was in difficulty with her dog who was in the water. Peter has ultimately jumped in to try and save her and the dog.
‘Ultimately, I am satisfied that what happened to Peter was a deliberate act, he deliberately jumped into the water to try and help Ms Peach but that deliberate act has gone wrong.
‘I am satisfied as to the medical cause of death as drowning. He was fully dressed in jeans, trainers and a snug boiler suit. He got caught in a riptide and could not be rescued by those on the beach.’
Concluding the hearing at Taunton earlier this week, Mrs Marsh said: ‘What this inquest has shown is Peter was one of life’s good Samaritans and from my assessment, the world needs more people like Peter.
‘He was selfless and he had a heart of gold – if someone needed help, he would do all he could to help them.
‘I actually found it really dissatisfactory to his family that Ms Peach has not once taken the opportunity to express her sadness at his death.
‘The entirety of her focus has been her own suffering and what this inquest has shown is both ends of the spectrum of human society.’
Recording a verdict of misadventure, Mrs Marsh offered her condolences to the friends and family of Mr Jeffery and said she would be writing to the local council with regard to the provision of warning signs around the site.
