Stephen Hilder
Encyclopedia
Stephen Hilder was a 20-year-old Officer Cadet
at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in Shrivenham
, Wiltshire
, England. On 4 July 2003, Hilder fell 4000 metres (13,123.4 ft) to his death when, during a skydive, both his main and reserve parachute
s failed.
d, with the risers (fabric connectors between the harness and lines) for his reserve parachute having been cut. A 10-month search for a murderer with a motive ensued, with two of Hilder's friends, Adrian Blair and David Mason, being arrested at one point and later released without charge. A third man, who remained un-named, was also subsequently arrested and released without charge. From the results of DNA tests on the parachute straps, which revealed the presence of Hilder's DNA alone, the police concluded that Hilder had cut the straps himself. A coroner's inquest recorded an open verdict
on the cause of Hilder's death.
The jump took place at the Hibaldstow Parachute Centre in Lincolnshire
. One of the few leads that the police had when searching for a saboteur was an old issue of an American skydiving magazine, found at the drop zone
, that reported one of the four other recorded cases of sabotaged parachutes in the history of skydiving. The reports of sabotage had noticeable effects on the subsequent behaviour of parachutists at championship events, and resulted in an increase in the sales of secure bags for the storage of equipment.
The laboratory test results that revealed that fibres from the severed risers were present on Hilder's body, leading police to conclude that Hilder had cut his own straps. This caused bafflement for both the police and Hilder's family and friends, who had seen no indication that Hilder was intending to commit suicide. One police officer stated that "Nothing we have discovered during the investigation and no one we have interviewed has said anything to suggest Stephen may have been contemplating killing himself.".
On 25 March 2005, North Lincolnshire
coroner Stewart Atkinson refused to accept that the death was a suicide after a forensic scientist testified that the lack of DNA could be attributable to a saboteur wearing gloves and that crucially, the presence on Hilder's body of fibres from the severed risers was of no evidential value, as transfer could have taken place in freefall or when the risers were subsequently removed in the field where Hilder landed. The forensic scientist was therefore unable to support any positive assertion that Hilder had been responsible for making the actual cuts. Whilst test on scissors found in the boot of Hilder's car demonstrated that they were the implement used to make the cuts, there was no further evidence of where the act had taken place or who may have used the scissors in question. Atkinson also stated that there was no proof that someone else was responsible for the straps being cut, either.
Officer Cadet
Officer cadet is a rank held by military and merchant navy cadets during their training to become commissioned officers and merchant navy officers, respectively. The term officer trainee is used interchangeably in some countries...
at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in Shrivenham
Shrivenham
Shrivenham is a large village and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England, close to the boundary with Wiltshire. It is in the Vale of White Horse, between Swindon and Faringdon. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-Character:Shrivenham features many...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, England. On 4 July 2003, Hilder fell 4000 metres (13,123.4 ft) to his death when, during a skydive, both his main and reserve parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
s failed.
Investigation
The police initially reported that his parachute had been sabotageSabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
d, with the risers (fabric connectors between the harness and lines) for his reserve parachute having been cut. A 10-month search for a murderer with a motive ensued, with two of Hilder's friends, Adrian Blair and David Mason, being arrested at one point and later released without charge. A third man, who remained un-named, was also subsequently arrested and released without charge. From the results of DNA tests on the parachute straps, which revealed the presence of Hilder's DNA alone, the police concluded that Hilder had cut the straps himself. A coroner's inquest recorded an open verdict
Open verdict
The Open verdict is an option open to a Coroner's jury at an Inquest in the legal system of England and Wales. The verdict strictly means that the jury confirms that the death is suspicious but is unable to reach any of the other verdicts open to them...
on the cause of Hilder's death.
The jump took place at the Hibaldstow Parachute Centre in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
. One of the few leads that the police had when searching for a saboteur was an old issue of an American skydiving magazine, found at the drop zone
Drop zone
A drop zone is a place where parachutists or parachuted supplies land. It can be an area targeted for landing by paratroopers, or a base from which recreational parachutists and skydivers take off in aircraft and land under parachutes...
, that reported one of the four other recorded cases of sabotaged parachutes in the history of skydiving. The reports of sabotage had noticeable effects on the subsequent behaviour of parachutists at championship events, and resulted in an increase in the sales of secure bags for the storage of equipment.
The laboratory test results that revealed that fibres from the severed risers were present on Hilder's body, leading police to conclude that Hilder had cut his own straps. This caused bafflement for both the police and Hilder's family and friends, who had seen no indication that Hilder was intending to commit suicide. One police officer stated that "Nothing we have discovered during the investigation and no one we have interviewed has said anything to suggest Stephen may have been contemplating killing himself.".
On 25 March 2005, North Lincolnshire
North Lincolnshire
North Lincolnshire is a unitary authority area in the region of Yorkshire and the Humber in England. For ceremonial purposes it is part of Lincolnshire....
coroner Stewart Atkinson refused to accept that the death was a suicide after a forensic scientist testified that the lack of DNA could be attributable to a saboteur wearing gloves and that crucially, the presence on Hilder's body of fibres from the severed risers was of no evidential value, as transfer could have taken place in freefall or when the risers were subsequently removed in the field where Hilder landed. The forensic scientist was therefore unable to support any positive assertion that Hilder had been responsible for making the actual cuts. Whilst test on scissors found in the boot of Hilder's car demonstrated that they were the implement used to make the cuts, there was no further evidence of where the act had taken place or who may have used the scissors in question. Atkinson also stated that there was no proof that someone else was responsible for the straps being cut, either.