Newspaper Research

Sam Leeson – A serious case of online bullying
- From the Telegraph.

Sam Leeson was targeted because he was a fan of 'Emo' music, which is popular with many children who feel left out of the mainstream.

The term originally meant 'emotional hardcore' and was an offshoot of punk music before it evolved into something more popular.

In common with many 'emos', Sam wore alternative black or dark clothing and had long hair, which attracted the bullies.

The boy, who had four sisters and two brothers, was found hanged in his bedroom by his mother and 12-year-old sister, after months of abuse which was only uncovered after his death.
His father Christopher, 39, of Hardwicke, in Gloucestershire, yesterday pleaded for other victims of bullies to not give in.

Mr Leeson, who is a builder, said: "Please talk to someone. Change your email address and change your mobile.

"Even change your school but don't destroy the lives of your mother, father, brothers or sisters.

"Mostly think of the people who will be putting flowers and cards on the gates of your school and trying to make sense of a pointless waste of a life.

"Bullies are cowards and you can beat them. Do it for Sam's sake."

He added: "I never knew things were so bad for Sam. I feel so sad he didn't speak to me."

Sam, who was a pupil at Severn Vale School in Gloucester, was found hanged in his bedroom on June 5th, 2008.

Sam's laptop computer is now being examined by Gloucestershire Police and an investigation into his death has begun.

No one from Bebo was available for comment.



Megan Gillan – A victim of cyber bullying which lead to suicide.
- From the Mail Online.

Anna Williams first began to worry about her daughter when she noticed how much time she was spending hunched over her computer.

'At first, I thought I was being old fashioned about it,' she says. 'Because I could remember my own parents saying "Look, it's sunny, why don't you go and play outside?" and not wanting to.

'But the more time Alice spent staring at the screen, the more uncomfortable it made me feel. It had become like an obsession - logging on to her pages on the social networking sites Stardoll and Bebo was the first thing she did in the morning and the last thing she did at night.

At 15, Megan decided to take her life and was found dead after taking a fatal over dose of pankillers.