Key Points
- Three men admitted killing 30-year-old Conor Kinlan after chasing him into the River Nene in Peterborough.
- Jordanas Prismontas, Cole Mackaness and Thomas McShane pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
- Mackaness and Prismontas also admitted possession of a bladed article and offences linked to supplying class A drugs.
- McShane also admitted possession of a bladed article.
- The attack happened at about noon on 23 January near Railworld car park.
- Police said the incident was linked to the “Felix” drug dealing line operating in the area.
- The men were arrested between 29 January and 1 February.
- Their guilty pleas were not reported earlier because of court restrictions, which were lifted on 9 July.
- Sentencing is due on 15 October.
- Detective Chief Inspector Rich Stott said all three defendants were equally responsible.
Cambridge (Cambridge Tribune) July 10, 2026 – Three men have admitted manslaughter after a fatal pursuit ended with a 30-year-old man drowning in the River Nene, according to court details released after reporting restrictions were lifted. Jordanas Prismontas, Cole Mackaness and Thomas McShane each entered guilty pleas at Cambridge Crown Court in connection with the death of Conor Kinlan, who was chased into the water on 23 January this year.
What happened?
The case centres on a violent confrontation near Railworld car park in Peterborough, where Conor Kinlan was with his partner and a friend before being accused by the three men of stealing from them. The trio began assaulting him and threatening him with a knife at around noon, according to the account set out in court. As the pressure intensified, Kinlan ran away and was forced towards the river.
As reported in the case summary, Mackaness was seen waving a knife while Kinlan entered the river after being cornered. Witnesses said Kinlan was forced back into the water a second time and never emerged. His partner and friend went into the cold water in an attempt to save him, while emergency services made their best efforts to find him.
A specialist police dive team later recovered Kinlan’s body nearby in the river about 15 hours after he disappeared. The sequence of events has placed the focus on the actions of the three defendants and the circumstances that pushed the victim into the water.
Court pleas
At Cambridge Crown Court on 14 May, Mackaness, 19, of Baden Powell Way, Wellingborough, pleaded guilty to manslaughter, possession of a bladed article and two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs. On 24 June, McShane, 20, of Collier Mews, Paston, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a bladed article.
Prismontas, 19, of Fulbridge Road, Peterborough, also pleaded guilty to manslaughter, possession of a bladed article and two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs. The later pleas were not reported at the time because of court restrictions, which were lifted on Thursday 9 July.
The three men are due to be sentenced on 15 October. The guilty pleas mean the case will move to the sentencing stage rather than a full trial on the central manslaughter charge.
Police investigation
Police said the case was linked to the “Felix” drug dealing line operating in the local area. Detectives arrested McShane on 29 January, Mackaness on 30 January and Prismontas on 1 February as part of the investigation.
The arrests followed the recovery operation and early evidence-gathering around the river and surrounding area. The police timeline indicates that investigators moved quickly after Kinlan’s death, building the case that later led to the guilty pleas. The charge pattern also shows that the investigation extended beyond the killing itself and into alleged drug-related offending.
Evidence and responsibility
Detective Chief Inspector Rich Stott of the Beds, Cambs and Herts Major Crime Unit said the incident was “a tragic incident that led to the loss of Conor’s life.” He added that his thoughts were with Kinlan’s family and friends at what he described as a very difficult time.
Stott said the convictions may help the family come to terms with their loss. He also said all three defendants were “equally responsible” when they chased Kinlan to his death. In his remarks, he stressed that the water was very cold and posed a real danger to anyone who entered it.
According to Stott, the men were jointly in possession of weapons used to threaten Kinlan, and he said that had Kinlan not been forced into the river, he had “no doubt” the weapons would have been used. His comments underline the police view that the killing was a collective act rather than the result of one person’s conduct alone.
Broader context
The case has drawn attention because it combines a fatal street confrontation, knife threats and suspected drug-dealing activity. Court reporting restrictions also meant that the guilty pleas were only made public later, which delayed wider awareness of the outcome. Once those restrictions were lifted, the case became a matter of public record and the sentencing date was confirmed.
The facts as set out in court present a sequence in which a confrontation escalated rapidly, leaving the victim with little chance to escape. The involvement of multiple defendants, weapons and the river environment all shaped the seriousness of the case. The legal classification of manslaughter rather than murder reflects the pleas entered, though the conduct described remains grave.
Background of the development
This case developed after Conor Kinlan died on 23 January following the chase into the River Nene. Police later linked the incident to the “Felix” drug dealing line and arrested the three men within days of the death. Guilty pleas were entered in May and June, but reporting restrictions kept those pleas out of the public domain until 9 July.
The case now moves towards sentencing at Cambridge Crown Court on 15 October. In practical terms, the background shows a standard criminal process: death, investigation, arrests, charges, guilty pleas and then sentencing. It also shows how court restrictions can delay publication even when pleas have already been entered.
Prediction
For Kinlan’s family and friends, the sentencing hearing is likely to be the next significant moment, because it will bring formal punishment and more judicial acknowledgement of what happened. For people in Peterborough, the case may reinforce concern about knife crime, drug-linked violence and the speed with which a confrontation can turn fatal.
For local residents, the development may also increase attention on public safety around rivers, car parks and other open spaces where vulnerable incidents can escalate quickly. For police and prosecutors, the case could be cited as an example of joint responsibility in violent group offending, especially where threats, weapons and pursuit are all involved.
