Matthew Wooby was found hanged by his mother (Picture: SWNS)

A mother found her 12-year-old son hanged after he was bullied at school, an inquest heard.

Matthew Wooby, who had mild autism, was discovered on February 13.

Egyptian police ‘are using dating app Grindr to find and detain LGBT people’

His father, David, told an inquest at Suffolk Coroner’s Court that his son fell into a ‘spiral of depression’ and killed himself after he was subjected to bullying at Felixtowe Academy.

Mr Wooby said: ‘It’s my personal conclusion that he was so unhappy because he was being bullied… and he went into a spiral of depression which I didn’t notice at the time..


‘And I think he took his own life on purpose because he was so depressed.’

He was rushed to Ipswich Hospital in Suffolk (Picture: Getty Images)

But assistant coroner Nigel Parsley said he was unable to record a verdict of suicide as it was not clear Matthew, who was mildly autistic, knew his actions would result in his death.

Boy, 14, among three Britons killed in Italy quake

Felixstowe Academy admitted there was one reported incident of bullying but claimed this was ‘dealt with swiftly’ in line with its policies.



Matthew’s parents had left him with babysitters at his home in Suffolk on February 12, who had looked after him many times before.

They watched a film together and he went to bed.

By the next morning his mother, Wendy, found him where he was immediately rushed to Ipswich Hospital.

Woman fulfilling bucket list falls 35ft to her death from zip line ride

The court heard that a week earlier Matthew had watched a film featuring a scene with a child who had been saved after attempting to hang himself.

Mr Parsley recorded a verdict of misadventure

A statement from Matthew’s parents, issued after the inquest, said: ‘We are devastated and heartbroken at the loss of our kind, loving, funny, beautiful and amazing son Matthew.

‘We hope that by raising awareness of bullying that no other family will have to suffer what we have to cope with every day.’

For confidential support in the UK, call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or visit a local Samaritans branch.