The Scotsman

Tributes paid to ‘bullied’ teen who was found dead

● Schoolboy, 14, revealed he was gay in video posted on Youtube

- By GRAEME MURRAY

Tributes have been paid to a 14-year-oldboywhow­asfound dead in his home weeks after revealing he was gay online.

Liam Mcalpine died in Glenrothes, Fife, on Sunday.

His death comes after he apparently posted a video to Youtube in which he revealed he was gay.

In a nother video he speaks of being “bullied”.

The boy’s school paid tribute to the “cheerful, pleasant and likeable” pupil, and said they had a robust anti-bullying policy.

Avril Mcneill, headteache­r of Glenrothes High School, said: “We are all deeply saddened by the news of Liam’s death and our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.

“Liam was a cheerful, pleasant and likeable pupil with an excellent attendance record at school.

“He will be missed within our school community.

“Our guidance teachers, psychologi­calandcomm­unity chaplaincy teams are on hand to offer support to any pupils or staff who may need it.

“We have a robust antibullyi­ng policy at Glenrothes High School. Bullying in any form is unacceptab­le and we have a number of

0 Liam Mcalpine died in Glenrothes on Sunday systems in place to support children and help them to feel safe.

“I would urge anyone who is feeling threatened or vulnerable to report this to someone they trust.”

Police Scotland said Liam’s death was being treated as “unexplaine­d” and investigat­ions were continuing. His death comes after Police Scotland and NHS Fife issued a warning to parents of all secondary-school pupils in Glenrothes about the circulatio­n of prescripti­on drugs in the area.

It said: “It is never safe to take someone else’s medicine.”

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