Dylan Phelan: British man encouraged ‘vulnerable’ American to kill himself on video call
A British man who encouraged a 21-year-old defenseless person to kill himself via video call in the USA was sentenced to six years and four months in prison.
Dylan Phelan, also 21, from Morley, West Yorkshire, was in an online group that repeatedly incited Travis Dyer to kill himself in October 2024 in Louisiana.
Sentencing at Leeds Crown Court, Judge Cotter said Phelan was motivated by “morbid curiosity” and said Mr Dyer, who was struggling with his mental health, needed help and support.
Phelan admitted encouraging suicide, creating an indecent image and possessing extreme pornography.
The judge told him: “You wanted to feel you had control over another person’s actions.
“You showed no respect for Travis Dyer’s life.”
The court was told Mr Dyer had suffered a series of tragic losses in his family, including the loss of his mother and sister to drowning.
His great-grandmother Vivian Mahoney, who followed the case via video link from the US, said in a victim statement: “Travis Dyer was a shy, intelligent and resilient young man who survived a tragedy too great for most in a century to endure.
“He admired him very much and he had a bright future ahead of him.
“The future has been stolen.”
Prosecutor Andrew Pettersen said Phelan had joined an online community on messaging app Discord where people shared thoughts about their mental health, but it was not a support group.
The court heard Mr Dyer carved Phelan’s name into his body as he prepared to kill himself.
The court heard that Mr Dyer committed suicide on October 20, 2024, while he was on a video call with the defendant and two other men, known as Mads and Rob.
The court heard Phelan encouraged him to take his own life several times and laughed when he finally did so.
Phelan kept a recording of the suicide on his computer and months later told a female acquaintance what happened.
He was horrified and later told his mother about it. Last March, Phelan went to Elland Road police station in Leeds and admitted his involvement in Mr Dyer’s suicide.
Police would find extreme pornography as well as an indecent image on their digital devices.
Defending Matthew Harding said Phelan was considered to have a mental health disorder, stating that he was detached from reality.
Addressing the judge, Mr Harding said: “I invite you to acknowledge his embarrassment, his remorse, his remorse and his considerable and genuine feeling of it.”
Mr Justice Cotter said Mr Dyer was the victim of a “campaign of cruelty in which he was prepared to take his own life”, including being encouraged to spend all his money on drink and drugs.
The judge said Mr Dyer hesitated before killing himself but others persisted in encouraging him to do so.
Mr Dyer’s family said Phelan did not act alone and that “this groupthink has turned the digital space into a hunting ground”.
But they said an online friend in the UK was alarmed when he heard what had happened, and authorities in the US were alerted.
They said: “This proves that the digital world can be a place of light, and makes the defendant’s choice to use it for darkness even more egregious.”
In an unusual move, the judge urged anyone with information to contact US authorities if they knew others who were part of the joint venture.
He said one of them in particular “poses a very real danger to vulnerable people online, boasting of being a sociopath and being involved in numerous suicides.”
After the hearing, Detective Inspector Dan Ridgway said: “This case highlights the dangers that certain individuals can pose internationally in these online communities.
“Whether in person or online, if someone is making you feel unsafe or encouraging you to harm yourself or others, please report it.
“We must not forget that at the center of this investigation is a 21-year-old man who sadly took his own life.
“I encourage anyone struggling with their own mental health to please seek professional support.”
Alex Johnson, senior specialist prosecutor in the Crown Prosecution Service’s special crime section, said: “Those who use online spaces to encourage self-harm or suicide will be held to account.
“The anonymity of the Internet puts no one beyond the reach of the law.
“Dylan Phelan not only witnessed these events; he deliberately and persistently encouraged Travis Dyer to take his own life and thought he would do so.
“His actions were calculated, cruel and had devastating consequences.”
IIf you are experiencing feelings of distress or having difficulty coping, you can talk or email the Samaritans confidentially on 116 123 (UK and ROI). jo@samaritans.orgor visit Samaritans Website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are a US resident and you or someone you know needs mental health help right now, call or text 988 or visit: 988lifeline.org To access online chat on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis helpline available to anyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you are in another country you can go www.befrienders.org To find a helpline near you
