An Army cadet died after consuming powerful prescription drugs which he bought online after researching painless deaths online, an inquest heard.
Jason Monks, 16, was found dead two days after searching ways to kill himself on the internet.
The college student was discovered in a makeshift den by a doctor, who was walking her dog in woodland near his home in Wigan, Greater Manchester, on March 29.
Jason Monks, 16, was found dead two days after searching ways to kill himself on the internet
The college student was discovered in a makeshift den by a doctor, who was walking her dog in woodland near his home in Wigan, Greater Manchester, on March 29
Various empty packets of pills were found next to his body and in his room after his death.
The levels of morphine, which had been in his blood, was found to be double the toxicity level a hardened user would need to die.
An inquest in Bolton heard it was ‘very easy’ for PC users to buy prescription drugs online as drug addicts who had been given by them doctors would sell them on the web to fund their habits.
The hearing was also told that the teenager’s early years were troubled and he was adopted in 2008 along with his younger brother by Lynn and Stephen Monks.
Mrs Monks said: ‘Jason was very protective of his younger brother. They both had a challenging and traumatic upbringing. Jason was very intelligent, we were very very proud of him.
‘His school had said that he had the potential to be a high flyer but in January he started becoming totally detached. He didn’t really talk to us about anything. I tried to get him to talk to a counsellor about what had happened to him but he refused and he said that he was fine.
The Bolton hearing was told that the teenager’s early years were troubled and he was adopted in 2008 along with his younger brother by Lynn and Stephen Monks
‘He stopped having meals with the family, spent more and more time in his room. I asked him if he was okay and if he needed any help or anything and he would say “no I’m fine”.
‘He wouldn’t tell us his work patterns or anything, so when he didn’t come home we just thought that he was at work, or because we had a row in the days before I thought he was going to cool off.
‘Originally he wanted to be a dog handler in the army, and then it moved on to him wanting to study animal management at college. He did start having girlfriend problems, in the September 2016 he had one short term relationship, and one on and off relationship.
‘Around the Christmas time another girl came and met us, but just before Christmas he came in and said to us “I’ve ended it before she could”.
‘He had real issues with being rejected, which could have been from his experience in his early childhood, he was really scared of that.
‘He was very secretive, but he was truthful. He only started not being as truthful to us after the January.
‘We only found out after he died that he had been smoking, it was something he denied, but a neighbour saw him smoking a cigar on a bridge.
‘We also only found out a few days before he died that he hadn’t been going to college, he had been leaving saying he was going and coming back when we had gone. The only reason we caught him was because I came home early from an appointment and caught him at home so called the college who told us he hadn’t been in over four weeks.
‘He was our son and he was loved and it has been hard to explain to his younger brother what has happened to his protective older brother. He will be very sadly missed.’
Police coroners officer Neil McAffrey told the inquest it was ‘very easy’ to obtain drugs from the internet
Police coroners officer Neil McAffrey told the inquest that Jason’s computer was examined and it was established he had been on a website researching ways to overdose.
When he was asked by assistant coroner Tim Brennand how easy it was to obtain prescribed drugs from the internet, Mr McAffrey confirmed it was ‘very easy’ to obtain them.
Recording a conclusion of suicide, Mr Brennand said: ‘Sometimes desperate drug addicts who require a proper prescription put them for sale on the internet to fund their habit by the sale of legitimate prescription medication. They have a value on the black market.
‘Jason had a history of behaviour problems and had a traumatic time in childhood. He took a cocktail of drugs which produced the toxic effects that brought about the end of his life, and the internet searches on his computer provide the proof of intent that he had to end his own life in the absence of a note.
‘He was a 16 year old young man what had endured particularly difficult background. But he was welcomed in the loving embrace of his parents, and he was given the chance to blossom and fulfill the potential that he had.
‘They provided in the only way that they knew to give the best future to Jason and his brother by providing unequivocal love.’
For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.