A resident of Leeds has been sentenced to prison for inciting a 21-year-old man in the United States, who was described as “vulnerable,” to end his own life.
Dylan Phelan, 21, residing in the Churwell area of Morley, engaged in conversations with Travis Dyer, an American individual battling mental health issues, over several months using the online platform Discord.
According to the court, a judge mentioned that Phelan, along with two other individuals located in the US, egged on Dyer to commit suicide during a brief video call on October 30, 2024, driven by a sense of “morbid curiosity.”
During the incident where Dyer took his own life, Phelan was reportedly heard laughing in the background, as revealed in Leeds Crown Court.
Phelan, together with the two associates identified as Mads and Rob, were part of a private Discord server named ‘Recovery4all,’ where they exchanged views on mental health matters, as disclosed in court proceedings.
Prosecutor Andrew Petterson highlighted that the group’s name ‘Recovery4all’ was paradoxical since its members did not aim to aid individuals grappling with mental health challenges. Dyer had shared his suicidal intentions within the group, including his plan to end his life.
The trio allegedly encouraged Dyer to exhaust his finances on substances like drugs and alcohol, leaving him financially destitute, as per the court testimonies.
Moreover, Dyer was coerced to inscribe the men’s initials on his skin, with Phelan’s name specifically carved on his hip, leading Petterson to describe the situation as a series of cruel actions that coerced Dyer into ending his life.
Subsequent to a post-mortem examination, it was determined that Dyer succumbed to a gunshot wound.