This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/shropshire/6993095.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Chatroom warning after web death | Chatroom warning after web death |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A coroner has called for "insult chatrooms" to be banned after a man took his own life while being watched by others on a web cam. | A coroner has called for "insult chatrooms" to be banned after a man took his own life while being watched by others on a web cam. |
| A verdict of suicide was returned on Kevin Whitrick, 42, of Wellington, Telford, Shropshire, who died in March. | A verdict of suicide was returned on Kevin Whitrick, 42, of Wellington, Telford, Shropshire, who died in March. |
| The court heard he was using Paltalk, which urged users to insult each other, when he said he wanted to kill himself. | The court heard he was using Paltalk, which urged users to insult each other, when he said he wanted to kill himself. |
| He hanged himself while some internet users urged him on and others tried to stop him, coroner Michael Gwynne heard. | |
| 'Well-liked' | 'Well-liked' |
| The coroner was told Mr Whitrick had been using a "friendly insult" forum at the time of his death. | The coroner was told Mr Whitrick had been using a "friendly insult" forum at the time of his death. |
| Mr Gwynne said: "The death of Kevin Whitrick should not be allowed to pass without someone seeing if it is possible to stop chatrooms of this nature being on the internet." | Mr Gwynne said: "The death of Kevin Whitrick should not be allowed to pass without someone seeing if it is possible to stop chatrooms of this nature being on the internet." |
| The hearing was told Mr Whitrick had had long-running problems with depression. | The hearing was told Mr Whitrick had had long-running problems with depression. |
| My brother was a strong character and he wouldn't have been influenced Malcolm Whitrick | My brother was a strong character and he wouldn't have been influenced Malcolm Whitrick |
| Internet user Carol Vickers called the police after watching Mr Whitrick hang himself with some sort of electrical cord. | Internet user Carol Vickers called the police after watching Mr Whitrick hang himself with some sort of electrical cord. |
| Mr Whitrick's brother, Malcolm, told the coroner his brother was "lively, bubbly and well-liked". | Mr Whitrick's brother, Malcolm, told the coroner his brother was "lively, bubbly and well-liked". |
| Speaking after the inquest, he said he did not blame the other chatroom users for his death. | Speaking after the inquest, he said he did not blame the other chatroom users for his death. |
| "My brother was a strong character and he wouldn't have been influenced," he said. | "My brother was a strong character and he wouldn't have been influenced," he said. |
| It is thought that up to 60 people were using the chatroom, which was one of a variety covering different subject matters, at the time of the incident. | |
| West Mercia Police headed the inquiry into his death and spoke to users of the forum. | West Mercia Police headed the inquiry into his death and spoke to users of the forum. |
| Officers passed a file about the death to the Crown Prosecution Service which decided there was insufficient evidence to bring charges against any individual. |