Kyle ‘suicide’ guest stopped taking antidepressants to face lie detector
He told ITV staff ‘I wish I was dead’ – then they put him in taxi home, coroner hears
A GUEST on the Jeremy Kyle Show who died in a suspected suicide days after his appearance had stopped using his antidepressants so he could take the programme’s lie detector test, a coroner heard yesterday.
Steve Dymond, 63, was found dead after he failed the controversial ITV show’s polygraph test, which could only be conducted if the participant was free from medication.
As a result, he was dumped by his on-off fiancee Jane Callaghan and ‘ cruelly shamed’ on the chat show, which was axed after his death in May.
A pre-inquest review heard yesterday how Mr Dymond was put in a taxi home within two hours of filming despite being visibly ‘shell shocked’ and telling ITV staff: ‘I wish I was dead.’
His family’s barrister, Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC, told Portsmouth Coroner’s Court: ‘ Steve was exceptionally vulnerable. He had stopped taking prescribed antidepressants in order to take the polygraph test. After his cruel shaming he did not get appropriate support from the aftercare team.’
Instead, Miss Gallagher said: ‘He was put in a homewardbound taxi within two hours of telling a researcher he was “really upset” and that “life was nothing without Jane” and “I wish I was dead”.’
She added: ‘ There weren’t any checks on his emotional state or welfare by a doctor, only by a presumably medically untrained researcher.’
Miss Gallagher said the family were ‘distressed’ that ITV had not disclosed key documents and the May 2 recording of the show, which was not aired. She added: ‘ ITV have a huge advantage. The family have not seen the footage, all the cards are in ITV’s hand – my clients want to see that material.
‘Only one party has seen the documents, has seen the footage and has had five months to prepare, but the family don’t have the documents or the time to prepare.
‘The family feel very much on the sidelines – it’s causing a lot of distress.’
The TV channel agreed to hand over the unedited footage and disclose the documents – including risk assessment forms, the lie detector test results and questions – within 14 days. Miss Gallagher said the family were concerned that there was only a ‘very short’ 72- hour window between the suggestion that Mr Dymond could appear on the show and filming. She added: ‘When you buy trainers you get a 14-day cooling-off period, but when you get this life-changing experience there is no equivalent. It’s very troubling.’
The family’s legal team also told the coroner they would be looking at ‘human bear baiting’ asked for the on channel’s the show policy and on ‘warming up audiences’.
The full inquest had been due to take place on November 21 but Miss Gallagher successfully argued it should be adjourned to allow for a ‘full and fearless investigation’. She said the family were the only interested parties in the case who did not have funding after they were turned down for legal aid. This has since been challenged. Simon Antrobus, for ITV, said the broadcaster would be ready to proceed with the inquest next month but accepted the adjournment. Coroner Lincoln Brookes ruled that the full inquest should April be given 27 be documents. and postponed that the family until The opening of the inquest previously heard that Mr Dymond, from Portsmouth, died in a suspected suicide in his bedroom, where his landlady found his body on May 9.
‘It’s causing a lot of distress