Schoolboy killed himself after being blackmailed over Snapchat images

A ‘gifted’ and ‘light’ sixth former at a number one non-public faculty killed himself after being blackmailed over nude pictures.

Keen footballer and rugby participant Dinal De Alwis, 16, had earned a clear sheet of A* GCSEs and simply began sixth type with hopes of finding out at Cambridge, when he was contacted on messaging app Snapchat by somebody, apparently from Nigeria.

He was despatched two images of himself – and informed they might be despatched to ‘all his on-line followers’ except he paid £100.

Instead he left his household house and recorded a quick video saying he deliberate to kill himself.

Last evening, his grieving father Kaushallya De Alwis mourned the ‘golden boy’ he nonetheless talks of within the current tense – and informed the Daily Mail that he didn’t need another household to endure as they’d.

Dinal De Alwis, 16, had earned a clear sheet of A* GCSEs and simply began sixth type with hopes of finding out at Cambridge

Keen footballer and rugby participant was contacted on messaging app Snapchat by somebody, apparently from Nigeria. He was despatched two images of himself – and informed they might be despatched to ‘all his on-line followers’ except he paid £100

Mr De Alwis mentioned of the evening his son disappeared: ‘He messaged my spouse and I to say he beloved us, and he informed his two brothers that he loves them, and mentioned they should “look after mum and dad”.’

Dinal was a pupil at Whitgift School in Croydon – close to the household’s indifferent house in Sutton, south London – the place boarding charges attain £48,000 and alumni embrace former England rugby star Danny Cipriani and illusionist Derren Brown.

After success in his GCSEs he had begun finding out for the International Baccalaureate in sixth type and was prime of the college in English and economics.

He had attended an open day at Cambridge, the place he hoped to proceed with economics.

But following dinner at house in October 2022 – simply days after a household vacation in Majorca over the autumn half-term break – he uncharacteristically informed his mom ‘simply depart me alone’.

Only later did it emerge that at 1am he was despatched the 2 bare pictures of himself – maybe following earlier contact with the blackmailer.

South London Coroner’s Court heard that the blackmailer – who can also be thought to have had different victims – wrote: ‘So you suppose blocking me can cease me? What would you like me to do – you need me to ship to your whole followers? Why cannot you simply pay me? £100?’

Dinal responded that he had assumed the photographs had already been distributed.

He slipped out of the home at 2am and recorded a quick video of himself strolling down a suburban road. Little greater than an hour later his physique was discovered after he had fallen to his demise, which was caught on CCTV.

Dinal was a pupil at Whitgift School in Croydon (pictured) – close to the household’s indifferent house in Sutton, south London – the place boarding charges attain £48,000

Dinal left the household house after he was blackmailed and recorded a quick video message saying he was going to kill himself

Police and the National Crime Agency admitted to Dinal’s dad and mom that they have been unable to hint the blackmailer – however mentioned that he appeared to have been working from Nigeria.

Mr De Alwis wept as he informed the coroner: ‘Dinal was probably the most caring son. He was vibrant. 

‘He bought straight A*s in all of his topics at GCSEs and was prime of the college for English and economics. 

‘We come from Sri Lanka, so we have been so proud to listen to he was so good at English. He was courageous. He performed for the soccer and rugby groups at Whitgift School. He by no means requested for something from us. He was all the time pleased with what he had.

‘His loss is the largest potential loss. It is so extremely painful. The indisputable fact that he ended his life on this approach… the world is so merciless.’

Mr De Alwis added: ‘He did not present any kind of unhappiness. I feel he needed to keep away from any disgrace from the pictures going public. I want he had spoken to us.

‘He had all the time been so open previously. But I feel that when issues are occurring on-line, reside, it looks like there isn’t a time. He did nothing unsuitable.’

Mr De Alwis mentioned he thought a woman could have taken the photographs whereas with Dinal, and that they ended up within the unsuitable arms.

But he was additionally conscious blackmailers have been identified to pose as enticing ladies on-line, sending erotic photos and demanding bare ‘selfies’ in return, earlier than demanding money to maintain them non-public. Mr De Alwis informed the Mail: ‘Dinal had had some girlfriends, he’d been very open with me.

‘I’d warned him to watch out. The grieving isn’t ending. I’m very nervous about my youthful son – he is large time into all this social media, and younger folks underestimate the risks round them. There have to be methods of monitoring these items and oldsters ought to have entry. I do not need this to occur to anybody else.’

The inquest dominated Dinal’s demise a suicide.

For confidential help, name the Samaritans on 116 123 or go to www.samaritans.org.