Leeds man admits encouraging suicide of 21-year-old in Louisiana, USA

A British man has admitted encouraging a "vulnerable" 21-year-old US citizen to kill himself while on a video call. Dylan Phelan, 21, from Morley, appeared at Leeds Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to encouraging the suicide of Travis Dyer in Louisiana. The court was told that Phelan, "together with others on 30 October 2024, did an act capable of encouraging the suicide of another person". Judge Robin Mairs adjourned the case for sentencing on 22 May and told Phelan to "prepare yourself for custody". The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Phelan had been communicating with Mr Dyer, who was known to be vulnerable and struggling with his mental health, for several months online. The CPS said in March last year Phelan attended a police station in Leeds with his parents and told officers he had taken part in a video call, alongside two other people based in the US, during which Dyer was encouraged to kill himself. Examination of his mobile phone also revealed possession of an indecent image of a child and other extreme pornography images, a CPS spokesperson said. Phelan was released on bail with the condition that he is not allowed to have a device capable of accessing the intern