Teenage footballer’s tragic last message to parents
INQUEST TOLD OF VOICEMAIL TO MUM AND DAD FROM SON STRUGGLING WITH COCAINE AND GAMBLING HABITS
A TEENAGE footballer threw himself to his death under the wheels of a highspeed passenger train after he became overwhelmed by cocaine and gambling habits, an inquest heard.
Bradley Whittle, 19, had left a voicemail message to his mother and father saying: ‘’See you on the other side’’ then stepped into the path a West Coast main line Virgin train travelling at 100mph. He suffered multiple fatal injuries in the impact and died at the scene. Bradley, from Wigan, played for Charnock Richard Football Club, in the North West Counties Football League Premier Division. But he had suffered with drug addiction and got in debt with gambling.
He referred himself to the charity Addaction and was also prescribed antidepressants. But the youngster, who worked as a business administration assistant, became suicidal over gambling debts and took an overdose in the months before his death at 3pm outside Wigan North Western train station, on May 15 last year.
His parents questioned on an earlier occasion whether he should have been admitted to a psychiatric hospital but staff discharged him from hospital following a 15-minute assessment in a cubicle at A&E and advised him to get support at home.
Bradley’s mum, Dianne, told the Bolton hearing: “Bradley had a normal and very happy childhood. He was a talented footballer, he excelled at school, had a good social life and a good circle of friends. He tried to reassure the clinicians he had no concerns and that he was doing quite well and he was fine but soon afterwards in March 2019, Bradley started to talk about ending his own life and as a consequence of that, the family requested that he seek his GP’s help.
“He was still misusing drugs because of a work place incident where he was suspended. On May 15 we became aware he left a voicemail which said how sorry he was and said he would see us on the other side. We received a telephone call from the police that very sadly Bradley was found deceased.”
Recording a conclusion of suicide, coroner Rachel Syed said: “Bradley had a normal, happy childhood, he excelled at school and football and had a good social life. But towards the end of 2017 and 2018 things began to change and he began to struggle with financial issues, misusing drugs and gambling debts.
“I have found there has been gaps in his care. There is little that can be done that can change the outcome but there are missed opportunities in the care he received.”
She told Bradley’s family: “I hope you can start to focus on all the wonderful memories of him.”