Tragic last note to mother of suicide boy, 12, stays secret

The family of a “loveable” 12-year-old boy who was found hanged in his bedroom suffered an “unspeakable tragedy”, the inquest into his death was told yesterday.

York coroner Donald Coverdale said Liam Cole was the only person who really knew why he decided to end his life.

Mr Coverdale ruled out any idea Liam had been bullied or abused at home or at his school York High School.

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He said there was evidence of arguments at his family home in the Chapelfields area of York, but this did not amount to anything out of the ordinary.

He told the inquest at York Register Office: “Only one person really knew what was in Liam’s mind and that was Liam and he’s not here.”

The hearing heard that Liam was found hanging by his mother on January 16.

The coroner said he was confident he could record a suicide verdict because of the contents of a note Liam left on a Post-it type pad in his room.

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Mr Coverdale said the note, which was addressed to his mother, Nicola Montgomery, “referred to domestic matters” and mentioned another person he said he would not name.

Liam’s father Michael Wilson had been running a campaign to have the note read out at the inquest.

Mr Wilson, from Leeds, and Mrs Montgomery are no longer together and were not together at the time of their son’s death.

But Mr Coverdale said he would not read the note out.

The coroner said: “Would Liam have wanted that note to be read aloud in a public arena like this? I don’t think he would.”

He said police had conducted an extensive inquiry but concluded “there was no abuse of Liam at his home and there was no violence directed towards Liam at his home, likewise at his school.”