Dylan Phelan was sentenced to over six years in prison for his role in the suicide of Travis Dyer, a 21-year-old British man who was groomed by an online group. The case, heard at Leeds Crown Court, revealed Phelan encouraged Dyer to kill himself during a video call and laughed afterward. The victim's family called the online space a 'hunting ground' for vulnerable individuals, while authorities warned of the international dangers of such communities.
Travis Dyer , a 21-year-old British man, was groomed into suicide by an online group, with Dylan Phelan , a 25-year-old from Morley, West Yorkshire, playing a central role.
The case, heard at Leeds Crown Court, revealed that Phelan was among three participants on a video call on October 20, 2024, when Dyer ended his own life. Phelan repeatedly encouraged Dyer to pull the trigger as he hesitated, and even laughed after the act. He kept a record of the suicide on his computer, which he shared with a female acquaintance, leading to his mother being alerted.
Phelan later admitted his involvement to police in Leeds, who discovered unrelated extreme pornography and indecent images on his devices. Dyer had suffered multiple family tragedies, including the drowning deaths of his mother and sister, making him particularly vulnerable. The victim's family described the online space as a 'hunting ground' but noted that an online friend in the UK sounding the alarm showed the internet could also be a 'place of light.
' The defence acknowledged Phelan's mental health impairment and detachment from reality, describing his remorse as genuine. Phelan was sentenced to six years and four months for encouraging suicide, making an indecent image, and possessing extreme pornography. The judge, Mr Justice Cotter, emphasized that Dyer had been the victim of a 'campaign of cruelty' when he needed support, and warned that Phelan had wanted control over another's actions.
He urged anyone with information about other group members, one of whom boasted of being a sociopath and involvement in multiple suicides, to contact US authorities. Detective Inspector Dan Ridgeway highlighted the international danger of such online communities, stressing the need to report anyone encouraging self-harm. Senior Specialist Prosecutor Alex Johnson affirmed that those using online spaces to encourage self-harm or suicide will be held accountable.
The case underscores the tragic consequences of online grooming and the complex interplay between digital environments and mental health crises
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