Sol Hemy river death 'should be a warning over drugs crime'
The mother of a man who drowned in a river after he took part in a cannabis factory break-in said his death should deter others from drugs crime.
Sol Hemy, 20, was found in the River Itchen in Southampton in September 2019 after he and four others broke into a house to steal drugs. The four men were jailed over the raid on Tuesday. Mr Hemy's mother, Elaine, said she hoped her son's death would illustrate the dangers facing drug criminals. Police were called when gunfire was heard in River Walk, Southampton, at about 01:00 BST on 5 September 2019. The body of Mr Hemy, a father of two, was found in the water at Riverside Park at 06:30. The four other men were jailed at Southampton Crown Court for conspiracy to commit burglary and possession of a firearm with intent. Elaine Hemy said she hoped her son's death would "change people's lives and get them on a positive path". She told the BBC: "I just wish that youngsters could just understand that what they're doing is dangerous and they can actually gain more from going out and putting all of that energy into something positive. "I wouldn't want another family to go through what we're going through because it's killed us, it's torn us apart and it's broken us." An inquest into Mr Hemy's death is expected to be held next year. His mother said: "Nothing's going to change our devastated loss. "But the only thing that could help us as a family to move on, would be to know how my son got in that water." Passing sentence on Tuesday, Judge Peter Henry said: "The sad death of this young man is evidence of the level of violence of high stakes gang warfare being played out that night on a residential street in Southampton."