There is still no clear explanation how a man ended up in the River Medway.

Greg Newholm was pulled unconscious from the water by police officers who managed to throw a life-ring over his head.

He was flown by Air Ambulance to Kings College Hospital in London, where he died.

His death on December 1 last year came only three days after the suicide of his partner of 27 years, Arnya Holden, but Georgina Gibbs, assistant coroner, said at his inquest that there was no evidence that his death had been suicide.

A passing cyclist described seeing Mr Newholm "jump from two feet" from the embankment below Fairmeadow in Maidstone. But once in the water he attempted to swim to shore and cried for help before succumbing to the freezing cold water.

It was not possible to tell from CCTV footage whether he jumped deliberately, or stumbled in.

The investigating officer Det Sgt Jonathan Stevens said Mr Newholm had spoken to two friends earlier on the morning of his death.

He had been upset about his partner's death but had given no indication that he intended to take his life.

His niece, Jessica Newholm, said in a call to her he had spoken positively about doing up his flat in Roseholme, Maidstone, and inviting his elderly mother to move in.

In a social media post, Mr Newholm said that after the death of Arnya, he was "now living for the dogs. We had 27 great years together, but I've still got 25 years ahead of me."

The couple were both devoted to their two pet dogs.

However, an examination of Mr Newholm's phone records revealed two cryptic messages: one asked whether a friend was going "fishing" that day, and another stating he had lots of "slime" to shift.

Det Sgt Stevens said that in drug culture, fishing was a reference to cocaine purchase, while slime was a code word for heroin.

The inquest heard that Mr Newholm, who was 52, had been taking drugs, mainly heroin, since at least 1997.

Doctor John Green, a GP from the College Practice, had been trying to wean him off heroin with substitute prescription drugs, bit with little success.

However, a post mortem concluded drugs had played no part in Mr Newholm's death which had been caused by water immersion.

The coroner gave a narrative conclusion, stating it was not possible to say exactly how or why Mr Newholm had ended up in river.

An earlier inquest concluded Arnya Holden deliberately took an overdose of drugs because she had no quality of life.

The 48-year-old was found dead in bed by neighbours who became concerned after seeing her partner, Greg Newholm, in a bad way outside their shared flat in Roseholme, Maidstone, early on the morning of November 27.

Mr Newholm told them both he and Miss Holden had been smoking heroin the night before. He required immediate hospital treatment himself.

A post mortem revealed she had ingested a cocktail of eight drugs, including morphine at a fatal level.

Miss Holden was in very poor health. She suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which meant even the slightest movement left her breathless.

She was bed-ridden and had been unable to leave her house for two years except to attend hospital. She also suffered from agoraphobia and depression.

DS Scot Winteridge said a total of three suicide notes were eventually found in the flat, one dated September 13, one dated October 27, and a third undated.

Coroner Georgina Gibbs said Miss Holden had written the notes in “a clear and intelligent way” which explained she felt she was “a prisoner in her own home and simply couldn’t carry on.”

Miss Holden’s mother, Quita Litherland, said her daughter had talked of taking her own life ever since she was 17. But more recently she had said: “If I could go to Switzerland, I would.”

After coming out of hospital in October, for treatment for her COPD, Miss Holden said: “I am NEVER going in hospital again.”

In a social media post her partner told a friend that Arnya’s death had “been a year in the planning” and “she didn’t remain conscious long enough to take the last ingredient.”

Police never got to interview Mr Newholm about her death, as he died days later.

Meanwhile, Kent Police’s Professional Standards Department, and the Independent Office for Police Conduct, have concluded there were no police failings following the death of a 52-year-old man in December 2017.

The man died on Friday 1 December after officers pulled him from the River Medway in St Peter’s Street, Maidstone. He had previously contacted Kent Police to report problems with his medication.

Due to the prior police contact it was standard procedure to report the matter to the IOPC, who confirmed it was appropriate for local investigation.

The internal enquiries found the force acted correctly and that there was no wrongdoing from any officers.

It also concluded that there was no link between the deceased’s death and his earlier contact with Kent Police.

These findings were presented to the IOPC, who have confirmed there is no need for disciplinary proceedings, recommendations or further investigation.