Ballet choreographer killed himself over ‘humiliating’ abuse claims
A CHOREOGRAPHER at the Royal Ballet killed himself because of a “humiliating” investigation into allegations he abused students, a coroner has said.
Liam Scarlett died in hospital on April 16, four days after attempting suicide at his home in Ipswich.
The former artist-in-residence, who joined the Royal Ballet aged 11, became the company’s youngest ever choreographer to create a full-length ballet, with Frankenstein, in 2014. An inquest heard Scarlett was “tired and humiliated” by sexual misconduct allegations levelled against him that had led to his suspension and separation from the company.
On April 12, just days after his 35th birthday, he sent messages to his parents telling them to come over and that he loved them. His parents, Deborah and Laurence, arrived at his flat to find Scarlett in cardiac arrest.
They rushed him to Ipswich Hospital, where he received four days of treat- ment while comatose before doctors withdrew his care after finding he had suffered permanent brain damage.
Suffolk coroners’ court heard Scarlett had suffered privately from anxiety for two decades, and had been taking Prozac for 15 years.
He saw his GP to discuss his mental health four times in late 2019 after he was suspended from the company.
In October 2019, he told Naresh Buttan, a consultant psychiatrist, that he felt “betrayed and humiliated” in relation to the misconduct allegations.
Mr Buttan told the inquest that Scarlett suffered from social and situational anxiety and had been drinking considerable amounts of alcohol – up to six pints of beer and a bottle of whisky a day – to block out his feelings.
However, the court heard he gave “no indication at all” to his family that he was considering taking his own life.
His father, Laurence, said: “When I saw Liam he was Liam – happy, carefree, just loving what he was doing. Dance and choreography was his life. Never once did I see him looking depressed.”
Coroner Jacqueline Devonish said that press coverage of the allegations was a factor in his death.
Scarlett was suspended from his role in September 2019 after allegations of sexual misconduct were lodged against him by male students at the Royal Ballet School who accused him of inappropriate touching, sexual messaging and soliciting nude photographs.
He had been due to face a disciplinary hearing but left the Royal Ballet in March 2020 before proceedings began.