A teenager killed himself at the family home after becoming depressed at having to quit basic Army training because he was being bullied, an inquest heard.
Connor Williamson, 17, had dreamed of serving his country since he was a little boy.
But his time at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, was cut short after he suddenly dropped out.
Connor effectively ‘shut down’ after returning home to Norwich and was found hanged in his bedroom just a few months later.
The inquest in the city heard that he had spoken to his GP about being bullied.
Despite overdoses, writing a suicide note, going missing and repeatedly expressing feelings of helplessness, mental health clinicians wrongly downgraded his case to routine care.
At the time of his death on May 20 last year, he had been told there was a 90- wait to be seen for an assessment.
Area coroner Yvonne Blake recorded a narrative conclusion on the basis that Connor’s mental state meant he might not have fully understood his actions.
Connor Williamson, 17, had dreamed of serving his country since he was a little boy. But his time at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, was cut short after he suddenly dropped out
She also criticised the decision of mental health provider Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) to class his case as ‘routine’.
Connor’s devastated mother, Kelly McFadden, told the hearing: ‘He had the biggest heart – a kind, loving and thoughtful boy. Beautiful inside and out, with the purest of souls.’
The case once again brings into question the Army’s handling of soldier’s welfare following high-profile cases where servicemen and women have taken their own lives following bullying.
The teenager began his basic training at the Army Foundation College in the summer of 2024 but returned a few weeks later, the inquest in Norwich heard.
His brother, Lewis Fairweather, told the hearing: ‘When he came back he was different – always sad, miserable and shut down.
‘He would sleep all day and be awake all night.’
Mrs McFadden told the coroner that her son had not spoken much about his time in training after suddenly returning home but his girlfriend believed he had been bullied.
Connor’s GP subsequently confirmed he had been bullied, the inquest heard, with the departure marking a distinct change in his behaviour as he struggled to come to terms with the end of his career ambitions.
The inquest in Norwich heard the teenager had spoken to his GP about being bullied
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A relationship breakdown in early 2025 added to his turmoil and he took an overdose.
He also disappeared from home after writing a suicide note and was found by police at Ely train station.
In February that year, his GP made an urgent referral after paramedics who turned up at Connor’s home reported him as being in a ‘full dissociative state’.
There was confusion over his care due to his age and his habit of declining to speak to professionals, the inquest heard, but he was visited at home by crisis practitioners.
A safety plan was introduced which included removing sharp objects and medication, as well as family members sleeping near his room so they could check on him at night.
Connor, who had three older siblings, did reveal his turmoil to one mental health nurse, Lauren Saffer, telling her he felt he had no future after leaving the Army, regretted the decision and was plagued by suicidal thoughts.
But his case was transferred to youth services and classed as routine instead of urgent, the inquest was told.
Natalie Thorogood, a team manager from the Children, Families and Young Peoples Services for NSFT, admitted mistakes were made including failing to stay in contact with Connor’s parents while he was waiting for help.
Manchester Utd fan Connor’s brother, Lewis Fairweather, told the hearing: ‘When he came back he was different – always sad, miserable and shut down.’
‘I can see we could have practised differently there and I want to name that to the family.’
Mrs McFadden, who believes her son may have been on the autistic spectrum, asked why no one called her back when she reported suicidal thoughts in April.
The coroner added she couldn’t understand how a teenager who had taken overdoses, written a suicide letter, run away and spoken of having no future was not treated as a priority.
‘I cannot get my head around that being marked as routine,’ Ms Blake said.
Dr Dan Dalton, a senior psychiatrist from NSFT, also accepted there had been ‘mistakes in Connor’s care’.
‘A mistake was made in recognising the urgency. We need to communicate better between services and ensure people waiting for assessment are properly reviewed,’ he said.
The trust has changed procedures since Connor’s death to ensure patients are not discharged by one team until the next service formally takes over responsibility, the inquest was told.
Mrs Blake said Connor had suffered a series of painful losses in a short period of time, including leaving the Army, the end of his relationship and the lack of continuity with mental health professionals he had begun to trust.
Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, was found hanging in her room at Larkhill Camp, near Salisbury in Wiltshire, on December 15, 2021
‘When people are vulnerable, things hit you harder,’ she said.
Mrs McFadden said her son had adored the family’s sausage dog, Dave, followed Manchester Utd ‘religiously’ and went everywhere listening to music on his headphones as he found it ‘therapeutic’.
The Ministry of Defence was approached for a comment.
Concerns have been raised repeatedly about the welfare of men and women serving in the Army.
Last year an inquest heard of the the death of a ‘bullied’ soldier whose body lay undiscovered in his bunk at his base in Catterick, North Yorkshire.
Iraq veteran Lance Corporal Bernard ‘Bernie’ Mongan, 33, was allegedly the victim of ‘systematic harassment’ and ‘bullying’, a coroner was previously told.
Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, was found hanging in her room at Larkhill Camp, near Salisbury in Wiltshire, on December 15, 2021, after being sexually assaulted by a superior.
An Army Spokesperson said: ‘We offer our sincere condolences to Connor’s family and friends at this very difficult time.
‘Neither the Army was nor MOD were made Interested Persons by the coroner in the inquest. We would not comment further.’
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