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A “talented actor” took his own life just hours after he was sentenced in court, an inquest heard.

Nathan Patrick Bird, 19, had appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on November 21 last year where he received a non-custodial sentence.

Court records show he was given a three year community order after pleading guilty to possessing prohibited images of children and three counts of making indecent photos or pseudo photos of a child.

An inquest at Newport Coroner’s Court heard how the teenager - also known as Nat - died later that day after falling from the Kingsway shopping centre’s car park in Newport.

The hearing was told he had previously tried to harm himself.

A statement by his mother Kay Bird said: “Nat was in the process of changing gender from male to female.

“He had been arrested and remanded in custody at Parc Prison in Bridgend. I know while there he tried to harm himself.

“He appeared before Cardiff Crown Court and received a non-custodial sentence.

“I was concerned for his welfare but his solicitor passed a note from him saying he loved me.

“At 6pm the same day two police officers came to my home to inform me of Nat’s death.”

The teenager, from Newport, had been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome at the age of seven.

His mother said he had applied to study drama at university.

She said he was “a talented actor but had trouble with social situations”.

Dr Ian Thomson, a consultant pathologist at the Royal Gwent Hospital, told the inquest that the 19-year-old died of a skull fracture consistent with falling from a great height.

Coroner David Bowen said: “Nat suffered from Asperger’s and he was in transition from male to female.”

He added: “A police investigation found no evidence of third party involvement.

“Therefore the only conclusion is his death was a suicide.”

Samaritans’ helpline is available on 08457 90 90 90 or see www.samaritans.org