The sister of a 17-year-old boy who took his own life after being falsely accused of rape has described how the allegation left him 'a shell of a person'. Jay Cheshire, a sixth-form student from Southampton, was found dead in July 2015, weeks after the accusation was withdrawn.
Jay's sister, Camellia, spoke in the Netflix documentary 'I Am Not a Rapist' about the night of his death. He hanged himself from a tree where they used to play as children, after buying his favourite energy drink and a bag of crisps. 'I don't think I've ever really seen a boy bellow and cry and just be as distraught as he was,' she said.
The ordeal began in spring 2015 when a girl accused Jay of rape. Camellia recalled phoning the girl, who said, 'I'm going to f****** get him done.' Jay voluntarily attended a police interview with his sister, where the officer 'came in all guns blazing'. Despite being advised to say 'no comment', Jay was left distraught.
Two weeks later, the girl dropped the charges, but the damage was done. Jay, who dreamed of studying history at university, spiralled and took his own life. His sister said, 'It was like he'd had his soul ripped away.' The documentary highlights the devastating impact of false accusations on young men.
