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A 21-year-old man from West Yorkshire has been warned to expect a prison sentence after admitting to encouraging a vulnerable young American to take his own life during an online video call.
Dylan Phelan, from Morley, pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court to assisting the suicide of Travis Dyer, a 21-year-old resident of Louisiana, United States, who died in October 2024.
Prosecutors said Phelan had been communicating with Dyer through the online platform Discord for several months before the incident. During a video call involving other individuals based in the United States, Dyer was allegedly encouraged to end his life.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the incident was not isolated. Investigators found that Dyer had been subjected to ongoing encouragement to harm himself by members of an online group in the months leading up to his death.
Dyer was described as a vulnerable young man who had faced significant personal challenges throughout his life. Family members said he had endured multiple tragedies, including the loss of his mother and younger sister in a car crash a decade earlier.
During the investigation, Phelan voluntarily attended a police interview in Leeds with his parents. Officers said he admitted participating in the video call and acknowledged that his comments had contributed to Dyer’s death. He also told investigators that he had become involved with darker online communities operating through Discord.
In addition to the assisting-suicide charge, Phelan previously pleaded guilty to separate offences involving an indecent image of a child and possession of extreme pornographic material discovered on his mobile phone.
Judge Robin Mairs adjourned the case for sentencing and warned Phelan that a custodial sentence was likely. The defendant was granted bail under strict conditions, including a ban on accessing internet-capable devices.
The sentencing hearing has been scheduled to allow Dyer’s family to participate remotely from the United States.
Alex Johnson, a senior specialist prosecutor with the CPS Special Crime Division, described the case as deeply disturbing and said Phelan had played an active role in encouraging a vulnerable individual online.
The case has renewed concerns about harmful online communities and the risks faced by vulnerable individuals who may be targeted through digital platforms.
