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Teen hanged himself after gang threats over an unpaid debt
A TEENAGER hanged himself after being held at gunpoint and threatened by a gang from a Sheffield estate over an unpaid debt, an inquest heard.
Scott Bamford, aged 17, told a housing officer he had been having trouble with a group of youths at Sheffield Foyer - a young people's independent living project - who had been taking his money and his phone from him.
During an interview with housing officer Kelly Hawley, Scott turned his phone on to retrieve a number and received a threatening text message.
It said: "Your phone has been off for four days - watch out man.
"We're looking for you, just look out man."
The Sheffield inquest also heard Scott - who was moved to bed and breakfast accommodation on Blackstock Road, Gleadless, after the interview with Ms Hawley - told a friend a gun had been held to his head in the weeks before his death.
He confided in Laura Stanbrough he had been threatened but did not say by who or why.
And on another occasion he told his mother Tina Sears he had been "jumped" while in town and had hurt his ribs.
DC Michael Fordham agreed with coroner Christopher Dorries there was "rumour and innuendo" suggesting people had been threatening him for money.
Craig Allinson, who shared a room with Scott at the B&B, said he knew his friend had been having trouble with "some lads from the Manor".
He said on a tram ride through the area Scott had told him: "I've got to be careful around here because I've got a couple of lads after me."
But Mr Allinson said he believed the biggest problem was his relationship with his father, who he had not seen for 18 months before he died.
Mrs Sears had separated from him when he was just two-years-old after suffering domestic violence.
Mr Allinson said: "To me he seemed more bothered about not talking to his dad, because he kept mentioning him all the time."
He added he was also worried about Scott's mood swings, saying: "One minute he would be talking, happy, and the next he was right down and quiet and go into his own little world."
The court heard in the week before he died the unemployed teenager had also been worried about changes to his benefits.
The last text message he sent to his sister said: "I'm not going to get any money for two weeks. How do they expect me to live?"
Mrs Sears said she had offered her son the chance to return home, but problems with her ex-partner Wayne meant it did not work out.
Scott moved into the bed and breakfast on August 24.
Scott and Mr Allinson were watching TV on the evening of September 3.
Mr Allinson left him for around 15 minutes and returned to find Scott hanging from the landing rail.
Holding back tears he said: "I only had a fag and then he was gone."
The cause of death was hanging.
Mr Dorries recorded a verdict that Scott had taken his own life and said the Child Death Overview Panel had launched an investigation into the circumstances.
He said: "A whole world of information is behind why this has come about.
"I think that these matters in the background are entirely appropriate to be looked at by the panel, much more so than an inquest."
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
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Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
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