Bullied girl’s death was ‘self-caused’

A SCHOOLGIRL who confided in her daily diary about her five-year torment at the hands of bullies killed herself by taking an overdose, a coroner ruled yesterday.

Leanne Wolfe, who had just turned 18, was found dead in bed at the family home by her older sister Tríona, in Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, in March.

Only on the day of Leanne’s funeral did her family learn of her ordeal when they found secret diaries revealing her torment. But yesterday, Cork County Coroner Frank Connell prevented the teenager’s mother, Collette Wolfe, from reading extracts from the journals, saying such allegations were outside the scope of the inquest.

At the hearing in Cobh, Co Cork, Ms Wolfe said the family was astonished when they read the diaries as they had been unaware of the bullying or its extent.

“I can honestly say that the Leanne we knew was not the Leanne in those diaries — to be quite honest I did not recognise that child,” said Ms Wolfe.

She alleged Leaving Certificate student Leanne had been bullied by six people and by two in particular.

“It appears that she had put up with a lot of physical and verbal abuse for five years,” said Ms Wolfe.

“She recorded this in her diaries and we checked her mobile phone and realised she had been threatened on the day she died.”

About 7pm on March 22, Leanne met three friends in Blackpool, Cork, and they each drank two-and-a-half naggins — or small bottles — of a vodka drink.

“Leanne was in great form and was having a laugh with the two lads,” a friend, Gillian O’Connor, told the hearing. The two, Michael Twomey and Darren O’Mahony, both of Cork, also said she was in good humour. Leanne drove home in the early hours of March 23 and talked on the phone to Mr O’Mahony.

“Halfway through she said she had taken one or two of her dad’s [anti-depressant] tablets to relax her and that she had done it before,” he said.

The inquest also heard Leanne confessed in her diary to trying a line of cocaine and half an ecstasy tablet but was too scared to experiment further.

Tríona Wolfe, the student’s older sister, said: “I was asleep in bed when she came in at 2am and she came into me and said ‘I love you’ and went to bed.”

At 8am, Tríona went to work and returned about 12 hours later to find her sister still in bed. Tríona checked on her sister at about midnight but got no response.

“My boyfriend Edward came and we tried to revive her,” she said, adding they then called an ambulance.

Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster told the hearing Leanne had died from an overdose of painkillers prescribed to her mother.

The coroner, recording a verdict that death was self-caused, said bullying of children was wrong and said such behaviour had to be stamped out.

The following are extracts from Leanne’s diary (2002-2007):

Dear Diary, Almost two weeks ago I went to Dungarvan for the day, but I wanted to stay for more, but after a couple of days Mary 1 and Mary 2 started to leave me out of things. I really felt there was something wrong with me.

Dear Diary, Today is Paddy’s Day, I went to the Savoy. Myself and Mary 1 had a huge fight, and now her Mary 2 and Mary 4 are after me. I thought we were getting close. don’t think we’ll be like that any more. I’m freaked outta my head, she’s always fighting, I don’t know what to do.

They only use me, I don’t need them telling me I’m fat, I dunno why the boys are getting involved.

I even stay in home because of them, I even make myself sick. I will prove them wrong.

Dear Diary, Mary 1 started on me, at first it was a normal fight, then she came in fighting with me. I hate her so much. He keeps calling me fat, and then John 2 called and he said I can’t call anyone fat, he was basically calling me fat. What’s he getting involved for?

I was on the phone to John 3 and Mary 1 threw a sneaky dig. Mary 3 has a lot to do with it, she’s the only one Mary 1 listens to and she wouldn’t stop her.

Dear Diary, Mary 2 came up to me Monday screaming and shouting, I was so scared, so sick of life, I never felt so depressed. I wish I had a new life. I am sick of it, I am so sick of her fighting with me.

Dear Diary, All I want is someone I can talk to about everything and love and love and love.

Triona (Leanne’s sister) has everything. Her life is perfect.

Dear Diary, I have been keeping to myself since Mary 1 hit me. Bitch. She’s ruined my life, I kind of keep it to myself. I don’t miss any of them, I’m better off without them.

Dear Diary, Everyone in the gang thinks I am a slut, but I’m not like that. There’s gonna be war today, between me and Mary 2, so I’m wearing a tracksuit today because I know they’re going to be fighting with me. She’s gonna fight me, I’m not gonna walk away any more.

Dear Diary, My car’s still not insured, snapping. Next few weeks are going to be really tough for me, not sure how I’m gonna get through it. All I’m thinking about is killing myself. The only thing that stops me is my mom and dad.

Dear Diary, If anything happens to me, I want this and the previous page read at my funeral.

Well the last few days have clearly been the worst for me. On monday I met Mary 1 and she thumped me straight into the face, I have a big black eye. I’m mortified, I couldn’t even hit her back and now everyone is laughing at me. I’m going to the disco tonight, I’m afraid in case she beats me up in front of everyone.

I am going to stand and nobody is going to stand by me. The whole lot of them are snakes, I have no real friends. I am known as a slut and a tramp and a fatty over that mog. This has gone on for too long. I can’t go on with this s**t no more. I can’t live it no more. Really, I can’t, it’s not fair.

What did I do to her or any of them?