‘We still can’t access Molly’s phone after 2 years’

Ian Russell, whose daughter took her own life, calls for legal rights to ensure parents can view social media accounts after death

panel, he says, should then be enforced by the new online regulator the Government has proposed setting up in its Online Harms White Paper.

While Mr Russell has welcomed the White Paper, which proposes imposing a legal duty of care on tech firms, he is also calling for the next prime minister to mount a “national response” to self-harm and youth suicide, on a par with efforts to end knife crime.

This month, it was revealed that, since the year 2000, the number of girls and young women who have self-harmed has tripled from six per cent to just under 20 per cent.

Mr Russell said: “I think a national response is needed. If you think about the very understandable outcry there is to knife crime among young people, the tragedies resulting from knife crime in terms of numbers are comparable to those resulting from suicide for young people.”

The Russell family has found sympathy and support from elevated quarters. In March, the Duke of Cambridge wrote to the family.

Commenting publicly on the letter for the first time, Mr Russell said: “It was a beautifully written, personal,

‘My brother said she was the youngster he couldn’t wait to see grow up – as she was going to be amazing’

heartfelt letter to us that we were very grateful to receive, in which he offered his support for what we are doing.”

Mr Russell becomes visibly emotional when he talks about the daughter whom he describes as “a delight”. Yet a faint smile appears as he remembers his “passionate”, “capable” and “emotionally intelligent” Molly.

“Molly was one of the most intriguing people I have ever known,” he said. “She was genuinely gorgeous.

“My brother said of all the youngsters he had ever known she was the one he couldn’t wait to see grow up as he had no doubt she was going to become something amazing.”

Mr Russell will never get to watch Molly grow into a woman. Through his sorrow, he is determined to prevent as many other families as possible going through such grief and pain.

“The most important thing about speaking out is that lives may have been saved,” he said. “I have had countless emails from people to say, ‘Thank you, we have been able to have a conversation with our teenage children we didn’t know how to start.’

“I hope some of those conversations may have made a positive difference as that is the only reason we did it.”