Appeal over net 'suicide' images

The brother of a man who is believed to have killed himself at his Telford home while being watched on a website chatroom today appealed for people to stop circulating the "awful" images.

Click here to watch the Kevin Whitrick family video

Malcolm Whitrick, 47, said he could not understand why people wanted to see the images of Kevin apparently committing suicide.

"I would appeal to anybody's better nature to stop circulating those awful images," said Malcolm, a director of Shrewsbury Town Football Club.

He said: "I just can't understand what satisfaction anybody would get out of, first of all, wanting to see them and, secondly, to edit them and thirdly pass them around to third parties. It's just beyond me. There must be some very sad people out there."

He said his brother would be remembered fondly.

"Kev will always be remembered by us for the good things, which there are many, and for the times that he left others feeling happy with his bubbly temperament," he said.

Mr Whitrick, said Kevin, 42, a father-of-two, remained close and fond of his ex-wife Paula. He is to continue building his new company, Mid Marches Electrical, as a tribute to his brother.

Kevin Whitrick was found dead at his home in Orleton Lane, Wellington, by police on March 21He was watched by about 100 people in an internet chatroom as he suggested he was going to harm himself. Just minutes later they watched in horror as he apparently hanged himself.

Malcolm Whitrick, speaking for the first time since his brother's death, said: "Kev was by no means perfect and could be a little beggar at times, but none of us can claim that virtue in life.

"Kev was always the life and soul of the party, together with being a devoted family man and loving father, a statement that has already been expressed by his ex-wife Paula. He was absolutely adored by his two children who he had contact with on a regular basis.

"He was a very kind and considerate man who worshiped his mother and would often be found at her home where he would be aggravating her in the nicest sense and doing odd jobs for her and her partner Tony."

He said together with their father, Ron, they had formed the then family-run business, RMW Electrical Services.

Malcolm, a director of Shrewsbury Town, said his brother's health took a turn for the worse and he started to suffer from severe depression after the death of his father and a serious road accident.

Malcolm said: "I am of the opinion that following his car accident Kev never made a full recovery and it was during this period he encountered some of the darkest days of his life."

By Lisa Rowley