'Kind, funny and bright' student, 17, hanged himself after being falsely accused of rape and finding it 'difficult to cope with the investigation'

[+Red King Subscriber²]

'Kind, funny and bright' student, 17, hanged himself after being falsely accused of rape and finding it 'difficult to cope with the investigation'

* Teenager had been accused of rape a month before he was found dead
* The allegation was later dropped and a police investigation closed
* The 17-year-old was found hanging in a park and died two days later
* His mother says the stress of the investigation contributed to his death

By Richard Spillett for MailOnline
Published: 06:54 EST, 1 October 2015 | Updated: 09:03 EST, 1 October 2015

A bright teenager took his own life after he was falsely accused of rape, an inquest has heard.
Jay Cheshire, 17, who was 'mature and well-liked', was at the centre of a police investigation when he was accused of rape.
The investigation ended two weeks later in June this year when the alleged victim dropped the allegation.
But just weeks after that, 'vulnerable and sensitive' Jay was found hanging in a park in Southampton. He was rushed to the city's General Hospital but died two days later on July 5.
An inquest at Winchester Coroners Court, Hampshire, heard Jay struggled to cope with the false accusations and was 'absolutely distraught.'
Jay, from Southampton, was a sixth form student at Bitterne Park School in the city studying English Literature, Film Studies and Geography and hoped to become a history teacher or a writer.
The court also heard he had a history of having a low mood, was put on anti-depressants and was due to undergo cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT).
He had a psychiatrist since the age of 13 but in March this year his state of mind improved, leading to doctors agreeing that CBT was not urgently needed any more.
However in May, Jay's family contacted them once more saying he was under pressure because of the police investigation.
On June 24, just over a week before he died, he told psychiatrists at the Orchard Centre in Southampton that the investigation was over and he was expecting to find work.
When police arrived at the scene, they found Jay had left a note. He has also left a note for his family and one in his sixth form locker.
Central Hampshire senior coroner Grahame Short recorded a verdict of suicide and said he struggled to cope with the false accusations and the investigation.
He said: 'I got the impression he was well liked and mature in some ways, but was a sensitive young man and vulnerable in some respects and he found it difficult to cope with the police investigation.'
Jay's mum, Karin Cheshire, 54, said that the allegation was a factor in his death and that the alleged victim said he was a sex offender.
Speaking about the alleged victim, she said: 'She accused him of rape and said he was a sexual offender. He was absolutely distraught. Two weeks later she said she withdrew the allegations.
'He was a wonderful young man with a great love of history.'
In a statement from Olivia Murphy, head of sixth form at Bitterne Park School, she described Jay, who was a student ambassador, as a hard-working teenager who 'embraced' sixth form.

 

Original Article,
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3256157/Student-17-hanged-falsely-accused-rape.html

[+Warwagon MVC]

am I the only one who read the title as "Kind of funny, Student 17 hanged himself!"

[+Red King Subscriber²]

 I am under the impression that the accuser will not be charged with anything.

am I the only one who read the title as "Kind of funny, Student 17 hanged himself!"

Ditto

[ramesees]

Release the name of the accuser and plaster her name all over the media in response to this.

People have got to learn that making false rape accusations is utterly disgusting and should carry some sort of penalty (prison, fines, both etc..).

But of course nothing will be done, and she remains anonymous for the remainder of her days.

Meanwhile a family has suffered a terrible tragedy that will never be recovered from.

[wakjak]

Well the story does say that he's been on anti-depressants. And was like that for years. So no, being accused of rape isn't what did it. The investigation was over for weeks. 

There's something else that was going on in his brain that led to this, and it was inevitably going to happen, rape allegation or no.

 

If that sounds harsh, well the truth is harsh.

 

[ramesees]

Well the story does say that he's been on anti-depressants. And was like that for years. So no, being accused of rape isn't what did it. The investigation was over for weeks. 

There's something else that was going on in his brain that led to this, and it was inevitably going to happen, rape allegation or no.

 

If that sounds harsh, well the truth is harsh.

 

Being accused of rape cant have helped the situation whether he had been on anti-depressives for a week,a month or 10 years.

Different people will also react to things differently, so what might affect one person on anti-depressives wont affect another.

Or even people who arent on medication, when faced with a false rape accusation are likely to go a bit off the rails because of the way society is set up to hound them until they are ruined because of the magic "r" word.

[wakjak]

and im my opinion, suicide is a cowards way out of having to deal with the struggles of life. 

[ANON86364]

and im my opinion, suicide is a cowards way out of having to deal with the struggles of life. 

Struggles that he shouldn't have had to deal with. No one should have to defend themselves from falsely accused rape. I'd like to see you held up for judgement against everyone you know or will ever know with no one to vouch for you. See what kind of state that puts you in.

[c.grz]

My question is what sort or repercussions did the accuser face after they dropped the allegation?

Even though the charges were dropped the accused have to deal with that for the rest of their lives especially if it get's in the news.

[Scar]

Rest in peace, extremely sad news.

I'm sure the piece of dirt that accused him of rape will get away with it like she did nothing wrong. Nothing new here.

[techbeck]

 I am under the impression that the accuser will not be charged with anything.

 

Of course not.

My brother was accused of the same thing years ago.  The whole town turned on him and many people he known his whole life.  It was later determined he could not do anything since he had a medical issue at the time and parts did not function.  Nothing happened to the woman who accused him and some people still are siding with her.  Women can play the victim and they are believed even when there is little to no evidence to support the accusations.

[Memphis]

Agreed I knew a guy this happened too, it is not over once your cleared of charges because even if the girl admits it herself, a large portion of people will believe her original story anyway.

[+Warwagon MVC]

and im my opinion, suicide is a cowards way out of having to deal with the struggles of life. 

 

I disagree. I don't know why people call it cowardly, do you know the balls it would take to end your own life, the balls it would take to pull the trigger of a gun pressed against your head?

definition of coward : lacking courage.

I dunno, someone who pulls the trigger or hangs themself from a tree has a lot of courage.

[The Evil Overlord]

Speaking as a person who was falsely accused of rape, I feel as strongly as ramesees's first post
Too many scum excuses for women try this in normal day to day life and it has the potential to destroy an innocent life (and family)
(luckily in my case CCTV saved me, as it proved I was somewhere else all night <When I used to work as a bouncer>)

[Son_Of_Dad]

Hated the glass UI in both Vista and 7 I always ran Windows Blinds to get rid of it.

[+Warwagon MVC]

Hated the glass UI in both Vista and 7 I always ran Windows Blinds to get rid of it.

 

Glass UI is no reason to want to kill yourself!

 

Edited October 5, 2015 by warwagon

[The Evil Overlord]

 

I disagree. I don't know why people call it cowardly, do you know the balls it would take to end your own life, the balls it would take to pull the trigger of a gun pressed against your head?

definition of coward : lacking courage.

I dunno, someone who pulls the trigger or hangs themself from a tree has a lot of courage.

In that instance, yes, that does take courage, I know I don't have the balls to knowingly end my own life, (to saved a loved one, yes, but if it's not a case of 'loved one gets to live if I die' then no, I couldn't do it)

[Son_Of_Dad]

 

Glass UI is no reason to want to kill yourself!

Sorry had two browser tabs open!

[+Warwagon MVC]

 

Sorry had two browser tabs open!

I know ... I knew you posted in the wrong thread

[The Evil Overlord]

 

Glass UI is no reason to want to kill yourself!

 

lol, ok where's the REAL Warwagon??

[HawkMan]

lol, ok where's the REAL Warwagon??

The real surprise here is that his joke was actually funny... definitely not the real warwagon.