LONDON, June 12 (Reuters) – A British man was jailed on Friday for encouraging the suicide of a vulnerable 21-year-old man in the U.S. during an online video call in which the victim was urged to shoot himself, prosecutors said.
Dylan Phelan, 21, admitted encouraging Travis Dyer to take his own life in October 2024 after months of contact on the Discord platform, Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service said.
Dyer, from Louisiana, died during a live video call with Phelan and two others based in the U.S. in which he was urged to harm himself, including by taking his own life with a shotgun.
A Discord spokesperson said it takes “decisive action” when it finds its policies are violated.
‘DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES’
“This was a deeply disturbing case involving the sustained exploitation of a vulnerable young man,” prosecutor Alex Johnson said.
“Dylan Phelan did not simply witness these events – he deliberately and persistently encouraged Travis Dyer to take his own life, intending that he would do so. His actions were calculated, cruel, and had devastating consequences.”
Prosecutors said the encouragement was part of sustained behaviour by members of an online group who had targeted Dyer despite knowing he was struggling with his mental health. Phelan later told police he had been drawn into darker online communities and accepted his role in the death.
Phelan, who also pleaded guilty to offences relating to indecent images of a child and possessing extreme pornography, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court to six years and four months in prison.
Johnson said those who encouraged self-harm online would be held to account and that internet anonymity did not shield offenders from prosecution.
The case comes as Britain is stepping up efforts to tackle online harms, particularly those affecting children and young people, including pressure on technology companies to do more to prevent the spread of harmful content and abusive behaviour on their platforms.
“Real-world violence of any kind is devastating and content that encourages or glorifies this behaviour has no place on Discord,” the Discord spokesperson said.
“When we find that policies are violated, we take decisive action, including removing content, banning accounts, shutting down violative servers, and proactively reporting violations to law enforcement where appropriate and in compliance with the law.”
(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti. Editing by Andrew Heavens and Mark Potter)
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