Three men have admitted chasing a 30-year-old man to his death in the River Nene near Peterborough’s Railworld car park in January. Thomas McShane, 20, of Collier Mews, Paston; Jordanas Prismontas, 19, of Fulbridge Road; and Cole Mackaness, 19, of Baden Powell Way, Wellingborough, entered guilty pleas to manslaughter at Cambridge Crown Court, according to Cambridgeshire Constabulary.
The three confronted Conor Kinlan at about noon on 23 January 2026 after accusing him of stealing from them. Mackaness waved a knife at Kinlan, who backed into the cold river when he felt cornered. Despite his partner and a friend jumping in to help, Kinlan did not resurface. Specialist police divers recovered his body about 15 hours later. Prismontas and Mackaness admitted their roles on 14 May, and McShane did so on 24 June, but the pleas were only made public after reporting restrictions were lifted on 9 July.
The force said detectives linked the killing to the ‘Felix’ drug dealing line that had been running locally. Prismontas and Mackaness also pleaded guilty to two counts each of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs. McShane, Prismontas, and Mackaness each admitted possessing a bladed article. A 62-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman from Peterborough are due to stand trial from 3 August on charges of assisting an offender, with the man also facing two counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs. The riverside spot sits beside Railworld Wildlife Haven and the Nene Valley Railway, a volunteer-run attraction woven into family outings and waterside picnics.
Detective Chief Inspector Rich Stott, from the Beds, Cambs and Herts Major Crime Unit, said the loss of Conor’s life was tragic and his thoughts were with his family and friends at such a difficult time. He described the three defendants as equally responsible when they chased him to his death that day, noting the water was very cold and posed a real risk to anyone who entered it. Sentencing is set for 15 October 2026 at Cambridge Crown Court.
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