Suicides of 14 youngsters in Welsh town 'not linked'

There are no links between the deaths of 14 young people who have been found hanged around one town in just over a year, the local coroner said today.

Philip Walters, coroner for Bridgend and the Glamorgan valleys, said he is concerned about young suicides, and wants an all-Wales strategy created to deal with the problem, but does not believe the recent deaths in the Bridgend area are connected. Madeleine Moon, Labour MP for Bridgend, held a Commons debate on suicide prevention yesterday.

Speaking after opening an inquest into the death of 18-year-old Angeline Rani Fuller, the latest young person to die in the county of Bridgend, Mr Walters said: “I’m of the mind that there is no commonality between these deaths, and preliminary investigations say the same.

“I’m glad Madeleine Moon has done what she has, and taken this issue on board.

“I feel it should be an all-Wales thing. The most important thing is that they get it right, and if that takes a bit longer than some people might like, then so be it.”

The inquest heard that Miss Fuller, known as Angie, was from Much Wenlock, Shropshire, but had been living with fiance Joel Williams in Commercial Street, Nantymoel, South Wales, for the past three or four months.

Detective Inspector Jason Redrup, of Bridgend CID, told the inquest at All Hallows Church hall in Miskin, South Wales, that Miss Fuller, Mr Williams and two friends had been drinking on Sunday afternoon and evening. He said “quite a lot” of alcohol was drunk by them all.

The inquest heard Mr Williams went to sleep in his bedroom, and the two friends went home, leaving shop assistant Miss Fuller alone. When he awoke at 1am on Monday, he was unable to get out of his room.

DI Redrup said Mr Williams “became concerned” and smashed the bedroom door, only to find his girlfriend’s body hanging on the landing. He called paramedics but they could not revive her.

Mr Walters said a post-mortem examination had been carried out, and that the pathologist’s findings are in keeping with hanging.

He added: “There is no physical evidence of third party involvement.”

A final cause of death is yet to be confirmed by the pathologist.

Toxicology tests revealed that Miss Fuller’s blood alcohol level was 164 milligrams per 100ml of blood – twice the drink-drive limit.

South Wales Police said they are not linking her death to the other suspected suicides in the area and her death is not being treated as suspicious.

The force is looking into a number of sudden deaths in the area but playing down links between them.

Natasha Randall, 17, was found hanging in her home in Blaengarw, Bridgend, last month.

Her death followed that of friend Liam Clarke, 20, in the Cefn Glas area of Bridgend on December 27, and of Gareth Morgan, 27, who knew Mr Clarke, who also died last month.

Others who have died include Dale Crole, 18, who was found hanging in Porthcawl in January last year and 19-year-old David Dilling and 20-year-old Thomas Davies, who both died the following month.

In August, 17-year-old Zachary Barnes, of Wildmill, Bridgend, was also found hanged.