A 15-year-old boy said ‘fake smiles every day was already killing me’ in a handwritten note before his tragic death as his family were not informed his bail restrictions had elapsed, an inquest heard.
Tyrique Jemaa’s family was not informed that told bail restrictions imposed by police on their son had lapsed more than two months before he was found dead at his home.
The talented young footballer, who played for Wythenshawe Amateurs, was arrested on June 30, 2023, and released on bail subject to a number of conditions.
He was tragically found dead at his home on December 20 after being found with a mobile phone at school earlier that day. One of the conditions of his bail was that he couldn’t access devices including mobile phones, reports the MEN.
(Image: MEN)
Giving evidence at the inquest Manchester Coroner’s Court, his sister claimed Tyrique told her that a teacher told him that ‘he would be going to prison’.
The inquest was told Tyrique’s bail had elapsed after three months on October 1, but no one had told either him or his family. Coroner Zac Golumbeck was told of ‘administrative oversights’ and ‘administrative errors’.
The inquest heard Greater Manchester Police told Tuckers solicitors, which represented Tyrique when he was arrested, on November 15, more than a month after his bail had elapsed, but they didn’t tell the family.
It meant Tyrique and his family, and his school, wrongly still believed he was still subject to the conditions of his bail.
The inquest heard he had been ‘released under investigation’, a different status to being on bail.
The nature of Tyrique’s arrest wasn’t disclosed. At the time he died, he hadn’t been charged with any offence, the coroner stressed.
His school, Dixons Brooklands Academy in Wythenshawe, ‘had been made aware’ of the conditions of his bail but also hadn’t been told they had elapsed either, the inquest heard.
On the day of his death, Tyrique was caught with a phone in a canteen at the school.
It was subsequently confiscated. Tyrique said the phone belonged to his brother and that he had taken it into school to give it back to him, the inquest heard.
(Image: Supplied)
His mother, Sue-Ellen Spence, said in evidence she was contacted by the school and told about the phone. She said the school told her they would have to report it to the police as a breach of bail.
Ms Spence said she was ‘concerned’ at that point about a ‘potential breach of bail’ and that she ‘assumed’ the school would alert GMP.
Tyrique went home after school with a friend but he was sadly found dead later after his mother got home from work.
His sister, Amira Jemaa, said Tyrique ‘seemed okay’ and was ‘messing about’ with his friend at home after school.
Giving evidence, his sister claimed Tyrique told her that a teacher told him that ‘he would be going to prison’ and would be ‘going away for a long time’. She said she was not sure whether he was joking or being serious. “I would say that he was a little bit worried but he did not show emotion,” she said. “It is hard to tell.
“When he was making that statement he was still laughing, but it died down a bit.”
Amira said she was told after his death by friends at the school that Tyrique was ‘down’ during the day at school in the aftermath. However, she said she had no concerns for him when she saw him at home after school.
The inquest heard a note in Tyrique’s handwriting was found on the staircase saying ‘fake smiles every day was already killing me’.
In evidence, the GMP said it was ‘sufficient’ at the time that they only told Tyrique’s legal team and that it was ‘compliant’ with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE).
In a tribute read out in court, his family said: “Tyrique loved any form of physical activity. He was walking by 10 months and had a natural talent for football. He was always the fastest in his year. He would always proudly show off his trophies and medals.”
They said Tyrique was a talented artist and a ‘prankster’ at home.
“Tyrique was, and still is, loved by his family and friends,” the tribute went on. “The biggest hole has been left in our hearts that can never be fixed.”
Proceeding.
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