Soul Reaper
09-17-2005, 07:25 AM
Boy died 'imitating Depp role'
Scott Buckle had a talent for acting, the inquest heard
A 12-year-old boy accidentally killed himself as he tried to imitate Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean, an inquest has heard.
Scott Buckle, from Swansea, enjoyed watching the video of the Hollywood blockbuster on the night he died last February, his mother said.
She said Scott apparently hanged himself as he copied a scene in which Depp's character escapes a noose.
A verdict of accidental death was recorded at the hearing in Swansea.
Wednesday's inquest heard evidence that Scott had previously been treated for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a condition whose symptoms include an unawareness of danger and an inability to appreciate risk.
Scott, who had been in care, had been adopted at seven by senior social worker Fiona Buckle and her husband, the inquest heard.
Mrs Buckle told the inquest how the tragedy had happened after they had watched a video of Pirates of the Caribbean together that evening.
A consultant psychiatrist at Morriston Hospital in the city, Dr John Talbot, also told the inquest that Scott's background made it likely he would have identified with the anti-hero figure Jack Sparrow which Depp portrays.
Speaking after the hearing, Swansea coroner Philip Rogers said Dr Talbot had described the hanging scene in the movie as not particularly horrific.
Scott had been imitating Depp in his swashbuckling role
"It gave you the impression that somebody could escape from such circumstances," said Mr Rogers.
"When Johnny Depp's character was hanged in the film he does manage to escape by balancing on something. We know this boy was prone to imitate things."
Mrs Buckle told the inquest that Scott "felt invincible and was not aware of risks," the coroner explained.
"She gave an example that he was unaware of the risk of walking along the top of a 15ft boundary wall shared with a neighbour. He seemed oblivious to the risk," said Mr Rogers.
He said the death was all the more tragic because Scott appeared to have overcome the inevitable problems stemming from his earliest years in care.
The Bishop Gore Comprehensive School pupil had a talent for acting and had recently been to a film audition. He had also discussed attending a drama school summer camp in America.
Describing the death as "a very sad case", the coroner said Scott had had no history of depression and had enjoyed a good day in school before watching Pirates of the Caribbean with his mother.
"Although the boy had had a lot of problems in his life he had seemingly made excellent progress with his adopted parents.
Scott Buckle had a talent for acting, the inquest heard
A 12-year-old boy accidentally killed himself as he tried to imitate Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean, an inquest has heard.
Scott Buckle, from Swansea, enjoyed watching the video of the Hollywood blockbuster on the night he died last February, his mother said.
She said Scott apparently hanged himself as he copied a scene in which Depp's character escapes a noose.
A verdict of accidental death was recorded at the hearing in Swansea.
Wednesday's inquest heard evidence that Scott had previously been treated for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a condition whose symptoms include an unawareness of danger and an inability to appreciate risk.
Scott, who had been in care, had been adopted at seven by senior social worker Fiona Buckle and her husband, the inquest heard.
Mrs Buckle told the inquest how the tragedy had happened after they had watched a video of Pirates of the Caribbean together that evening.
A consultant psychiatrist at Morriston Hospital in the city, Dr John Talbot, also told the inquest that Scott's background made it likely he would have identified with the anti-hero figure Jack Sparrow which Depp portrays.
Speaking after the hearing, Swansea coroner Philip Rogers said Dr Talbot had described the hanging scene in the movie as not particularly horrific.
Scott had been imitating Depp in his swashbuckling role
"It gave you the impression that somebody could escape from such circumstances," said Mr Rogers.
"When Johnny Depp's character was hanged in the film he does manage to escape by balancing on something. We know this boy was prone to imitate things."
Mrs Buckle told the inquest that Scott "felt invincible and was not aware of risks," the coroner explained.
"She gave an example that he was unaware of the risk of walking along the top of a 15ft boundary wall shared with a neighbour. He seemed oblivious to the risk," said Mr Rogers.
He said the death was all the more tragic because Scott appeared to have overcome the inevitable problems stemming from his earliest years in care.
The Bishop Gore Comprehensive School pupil had a talent for acting and had recently been to a film audition. He had also discussed attending a drama school summer camp in America.
Describing the death as "a very sad case", the coroner said Scott had had no history of depression and had enjoyed a good day in school before watching Pirates of the Caribbean with his mother.
"Although the boy had had a lot of problems in his life he had seemingly made excellent progress with his adopted parents.