Inquest opens into death of man allegedly murdered at solstice event in the Peak District

27 Jul 2026 • 10:24 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Inquest opens into death of man allegedly murdered at solstice event in the Peak District

  • An inquest has been opened into the death of Isaac Clare-Watts, 26, who was allegedly murdered "in the most brutal way" at a summer solstice event near the Nine Ladies Stone Circle in the Peak District.
  • Mr Clare-Watts' body was discovered on Monday, June 22, near the Bronze Age stone circle in Stanton Lees, Derbyshire, but the cause of his death has not yet been determined as post-mortem examination findings are still awaited.
  • Szymon Babynko, 23, a Polish national from London, has been charged with Mr Clare-Watts' murder and is also accused of attempted murder in relation to a separate incident in Chesterfield.
  • Coroner Susan Evans formally opened the inquest at Chesterfield Coroner’s Court, confirming Mr Clare-Watts, a carpenter from Carrington in Nottingham, was identified by his mother.
  • The inquest has been suspended pending the conclusion of criminal proceedings, with Mr Babynko scheduled to appear at Derby Crown Court on September 25, and a trial anticipated for November this year or March next year.
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