A British man has been jailed for six years and four months after admitting he encouraged a vulnerable young American to take his own life during a video call in a case that has sparked fresh concerns about the dangers of online communities targeting people with mental health struggles.
Dylan Phelan, 21, from Morley in West Yorkshire, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court for his role in the death of 21-year-old Travis Dyer from Louisiana, United States. Prosecutors described the case as a calculated and cruel campaign that pushed a deeply troubled young man towards suicide.
The court heard that Phelan communicated with Dyer for months through Discord, a popular online platform. Alongside two other men based in the United States, identified only as Mads and Rob, Phelan was part of a private Discord group called Recovery4all.
Despite its name, prosecutors said the group offered no recovery or support. Instead, members allegedly encouraged self harm, shared suicidal thoughts and manipulated vulnerable users.
According to evidence presented in court, Dyer openly discussed his mental health struggles and suicidal thoughts within the group. Rather than helping him, members encouraged him to spend his money on drugs and alcohol and pressured him into self harming. The initials of the men, including Phelan’s, were reportedly carved into Dyer’s skin.
Prosecutor Andrew Petterson described the abuse as a “campaign of cruelty” that groomed Dyer into taking his own life.
The fatal incident occurred during a two minute video call on 30 October 2024. The court heard Phelan and the other men repeatedly urged Dyer to go through with suicide. After Dyer shot himself, Phelan could reportedly be heard laughing.
Judge Barry Cotter KC said Dyer had not reached a fixed decision to end his life and showed signs of hesitation during the call. He ruled that the encouragement provided by Phelan and others was a critical factor in the tragedy.
“Travis was suffering before your eyes,” the judge told Phelan. “He needed help and support but received the very opposite.”
Dyer’s great grandmother, Vivian Mahoney, told the court that he had already endured immense personal tragedy, having lost both his mother and younger sister in a drowning accident during childhood.
“He was deeply adored and had a bright future ahead of him,” she said. “That future was stolen.”
The case echoes growing international concerns about online networks that prey on vulnerable people. Law enforcement agencies in both the UK and US have warned that some online groups actively encourage self harm and suicide, particularly among young users struggling with mental health issues.
Following Dyer’s death, another Discord user alerted authorities after discovering messages suggesting the group had encouraged the suicide. Phelan’s involvement eventually came to light when he confessed to police after reportedly boasting about the incident to a woman.
US authorities, including the Department of Homeland Security, are continuing investigations into the two American suspects. Judge Cotter warned that one of the men remained a serious threat to vulnerable people online and urged anyone with information to come forward.
