Latest news with #JairusEarl
Daily Mirror
17-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Coroner calls for shotgun law loophole to be closed after schoolboy's tragic death
Jairus Earl, 15, took his own life at his family's Dorset holiday home while experiencing stress and anxiety over his upcoming GCSE exams A coroner is calling on the Home Office to close a loophole in the law regarding shotguns kept at a licence holder's second home following the tragic death of a public schoolboy. Jairus Earl, 15, killed himself with his dad's shotgun at their Dorset holiday home in the midst of feeling stressed and anxious over his GCSE exams. Philip Earl had taken his guns from the family home in London for the break in the countryside for clay pigeon shooting. The Dorset coroner, Rachael Griffin, has now written a prevention of future deaths report over concerns that licence holders are not required to inform the authorities when taking shotguns from one property to another. This is far less stringent than the regulations surrounding firearms where possession of every gun must satisfy 'individual good reason'. The inquest heard during the Easter half term break a distressed Jairus went missing from the family's cottage near Sherborne. When police officers visited the property on March 28, 2024 they were unaware that shotguns were being kept inside. Mrs Griffin said that had they known the shotguns may have been removed from the property which could have prevented the tragedy. On April 14, as the family prepared to return to London where Jairus was to take his exams, he went into his father's office. He shot himself with one of the guns while Mr Earl, 56, was outside packing the car. In her report Mrs Griffin said: 'I have concerns in relation to gaps in the regulation of shotgun licences especially when a licence holder has more than one property where the guns may be used or stored. There seems to be a great deal of difference in the regulation of firearms and the regulation of shotguns, however both can equally cause death. There is no obligation on a licence holder of a shotgun to notify the approving force they are moving to or visiting another property. 'I therefore have concerns there is a lack of a system of sharing and flagging information between police forces and the location of shotguns, which could lead to future deaths. Accordingly, emergency services may attend an address where shotguns are held without knowledge of that fact due to the lack of a marker being placed on the address. 'This causes a risk to all those attending unmarked addresses as they would potentially be ill prepared for what they could face which could lead to future deaths.' She has now written to the Home Office and Health Department who have 56 days to respond to her concerns.
Telegraph
03-07-2025
- Telegraph
Public schoolboy killed himself with father's gun amid GCSE stress
A public schoolboy killed himself with his father's shotgun after GCSE stress and breaking up with his girlfriend, an inquest heard. Jairus Earl was found by his father Philip in his office at their Dorset holiday home as they prepared to return to London for the 15-year-old to start his exams. The family had gone to their cottage near Sherborne for the Easter holidays to de-stress and took some shotguns with them for clay pigeon shooting. The inquest heard Jairus, who was feeling anxious and negative about his GCSEs, spent the mornings revising and did shooting and fly fishing with his father in the afternoons. But as they packed up the car to return home, Jairus told his father he was going to the toilet but instead he went into the office where his father had his shotguns in cases. Mr Earl, a director of a construction company, was listening to music and so did not hear the gunshot but knew something was wrong when the family dog came out and 'looked very stressed'. Mr Earl, 56, went inside and found his son unresponsive in the office at about 3.45pm on April 14, 2024. Jairus was pronounced dead at the scene at 4pm. At his inquest, the Dorset coroner Rachael Griffin raised concerns about possible gaps in gun licence laws that she will be making a prevention of future deaths report about to the government. While she recognised that Mr Earl was a responsible gun licence holder, she said there may be an issue about people keeping guns in second homes without the authorities knowing. She said there was also a concern about the lack of consideration for the mental health of other people in the same household as a licence holder. Jairus had been falling behind at school The Bournemouth inquest heard Jairus was 'very social and loved to have fun' but struggled with school and had been falling behind. He attended the £30,000-a-year Thames Christian School in Clapham, south London. He had been diagnosed with ADHD at 14 and was experiencing low mood and suicidal ideation but was seeing both a psychologist and a child psychiatrist in the months leading up to his death, and his mood seemed to be improving. The family said Jairus had been affected by the Covid lockdowns, the first of which came when he was just two terms into secondary school and was 'extremely detrimental'. The Bournemouth inquest heard that Mr Earl's wife Sophie and daughter Lily had already returned to London by early April while he and Jairus stayed in Dorset for longer. Reading a pen portrait from the family, Mrs Griffin said: 'Jairus really loved larking about. He had a great sense of humour and was always keen to make people laugh. He was very social and loved to have fun. 'In Dorset he had a passion for the countryside - fishing and clay pigeon shooting - it was a place where he became really alive, away from the huge stress of exams and pressures of life. 'His mental health grew worse over time. His parents tried to get as much help as possible. 'We love Jairus more than words can say and his death has left an extraordinarily painful void in our lives.' Mr Earl said in a statement: 'In recent years things had become more stressful. He felt very negative about school, homework and exams. 'He was facing GCSEs, which was overwhelming for him. He had concerns that he had been behind but wouldn't consider the possibility of repeating the year.' Ms Griffin recorded a verdict of suicide.
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Tragic 15-year-old schoolboy took his own life with father's shotgun amid a 'perfect storm' of exam stress, breakup with girlfriend and struggles with ADHD, inquest hears
A private school pupil killed himself with his father's shotgun after a 'perfect storm' of GCSE stress, breaking up with his girlfriend and ADHD, an inquest heard. Jairus Earl was found by his father Philip in his office at their Dorset holiday home as they prepared to return to London for the 15-year-old to start his exams. The family had gone to their cottage near Sherborne for the Easter holidays to destress and took some shotguns with them for clay pigeon shooting. The inquest heard Jairus, who was feeling anxious and negative about his GCSEs, spent the mornings revising and did shooting and fly fishing with his father in the afternoons. But as they packed up the car to return home Jairus told his father he was going in to the toilet but instead went into the office where his father had his shotguns in cases. Mr Earl, a director of a construction company, was listening to music and so did not hear the gunshot but knew something was wrong when the family dog came out and 'looked very stressed'. Mr Earl, 56, went inside and found his son unresponsive in the office at about 3.45pm on April 14, 2024. Jairus was pronounced dead at the scene at 4pm. At his inquest the Dorset coroner Rachael Griffin raised concerns about possible gaps in gun licence laws that she will be making a prevention of future deaths report about to the government. While she recognised that Mr Earl was a responsible gun licence holder, she said there may be an issue about people keeping guns in second homes without the authorities knowing. She said there was also a concern about the lack of consideration for the mental health of other people in the same household as a licence holder. The Bournemouth inquest heard Jairus was 'very social and loved to have fun' but struggled with school and had been falling behind. He attended the £30,000-a-year Thames Christian School in Clapham, south London. He had been diagnosed with ADHD at 14 and was experiencing low mood and suicidal ideation but was seeing both a psychologist and a child psychiatrist in the months leading up to his death and his mood seemed to be improving. The family said Jairus had been affected by the Covid lockdowns, the first of which came when he was just two terms into secondary school and was 'extremely detrimental'. The Bournemouth inquest that Mr Earl's wife Sophie and daughter Lily had already returned to London by early April while he and Jairus stayed in Dorset for longer. Mr Earl said in a statement: 'In recent years things had become more stressful. He felt very negative about school, homework and exams. 'His self-esteem took a bad hit. He felt like no one believed in him or were on his side. 'He was facing GCSEs, which was overwhelming for him. He had concerns that he had been behind but wouldn't consider the possibility of repeating the year.' Mr Earl said he thought that pressure was a 'huge part of the final moment' and he was 'so triggered he made that terrible impulsive decision to take his life'. He added: 'The factors that collaborated to create a perfect storm were the breakdown of his relationship with his girlfriend, schooling and GCSEs, his struggle with ADHD and the fact it was coming with symptoms of depression and anxiety.' Ms Griffin recorded a verdict of suicide. She said: 'I have heard a wealth of evidence that indicates how much loved Jairus was. He was also a young man who in the later stages of his life was troubled. 'There is nothing in the evidence before me that indicates his father was anything but a responsible gun licence holder. 'Jairus said he was going to the toilet, that was sadly the last his father saw him alive. 'I don't know what happened from the moment Jairus' father last saw him and when he found him. There was no note left, no evidence of any messages or searching around what his intent might be. 'Jairus had a very good knowledge of guns…those that knew him best believe that he intended to end his life. 'I am satisfied he intended the consequences to be his own death.' Addressing her concerns about gun licence regulations, she said: 'I do have ongoing concerns about the lack of regulation, including the fact people may have a second residence where items are stored that may not be known to the authorities that needs to be known. 'When applications for licence are made at the moment there is no requirement to assess or access medical information for other persons residing in the property. 'I do intend to submit a report to the secretary of state for health and the Home Office to raise the concerns I have to the gaps in regulations.'
