British man ‘encouraged man in US to shoot himself over video call’
A West Yorkshire man accused of encouraging a man in the US to shoot himself over a video call has appeared in court for the first time.
Dylan Phelan, 21, from Morley, is charged with encouraging the suicide of Travis Dyer in Louisiana on October 30, 2024.
Today, Phelan appeared at Leeds Magistrates’ Court, where he was not asked to officially enter a plea to the charge.
He pleaded guilty to one count of making an indecent image of a child in November 2024 and three counts of possessing extreme pornography in March 2025.
Magistrates heard the offence of encouraging suicide was so serious that it could only be dealt with by a crown court judge.
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Prosecutor Alex Johnson said: ‘Phelan faces an indictable only charge relating to encouragement, we say, that the defendant gave to a man to commit suicide using the Discord platform.’
Chair of the bench Sam Shabil gave Phelan conditional bail until his next appearance at Leeds Crown Court on March 11.
Mr Dyer, 21, lived in Theriot, Louisiana, and lost his mother and younger sister in a crash 10 years before his own death.
In August 2014 local newspaper Houma Today reported that Ashley Ann Worrell, 31, and her three-year-old daughter Delaney Rae Lirette died after their pick-up overturned into a canal.
An obituary posted on a funeral home website after Mr Dyer’s death said he was ‘sweet, gentle, quiet, kind and very caring to those he loved.’
It read: ‘Travis will forever be loved and terribly missed by all of those who have known him.’
A tribute posted by his great-grandmother said: ‘Travie, We miss you. Needless to say, I’m so beside myself.
Samaritans are here to listen, day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit samaritans.org for more information.
‘I don’t know what to say or how to say it.
‘Sweetheart, you were so unfortunate to have had so many tragedies in your young life. It was totally unfair for you.’
Malcolm McHaffie, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime Division, previously said: ‘Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.
‘We have worked closely with West Yorkshire Police as they carried out their investigation into the circumstances of this death. Our thoughts are with the family of the victim at this time.’
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