The mother of a teenager who died in a suspected suicide pact with his girlfriend has provided heartbreaking testimony at an inquest, revealing her son had made multiple previous attempts to take his own life. Jack Williams, aged 18, and Katherine Powell, aged 17, were discovered deceased at Bothenhampton reservoir, near Bridport in Dorset, on the morning of January 25, 2022.
Arrest and Allegations Preceding the Tragedy
The Bournemouth inquest heard that the young couple, who shared a baby together, had been arrested on suspicion of possessing an indecent image of a child just six days prior to their deaths. Brendan Allen, the area coroner for Dorset, has explicitly stressed to the jury that the offence for which the teens were arrested remained an allegation only. Neither individual had been formally charged, and the image in question did not depict either of them or their own child.
Social Services Intervention and Disappearance
Following their release on bail, social services promptly intervened, taking the couple's child into care. Both Jack and Katherine subsequently disappeared before their bodies were found at the remote wooded beauty spot. Debbie Williams, Jack's mother, has now disclosed that her son had long struggled with severe mental health issues, having received diagnoses for anxiety, ADHD, and autism.
She detailed a distressing history of suicide attempts, including an overdose in 2017 when Jack was merely 14 years old. He then formulated plans to hang himself during the summer of 2018 and overdosed again in January 2019. In a statement read to the court, Ms. Williams expressed frustration, stating, "I would turn to social services for advice about how to deal with Jack's challenging behaviour but no one could help. I felt they used any information I provided to them to blame my parenting instead of finding a way to help us."
Foster Care and Relationship Breakdown
Ms. Williams made the profoundly difficult decision to admit her son into foster care in 2019, which initially improved their relationship. They maintained regular contact and visits even after he moved nearly 200 miles away from their home in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, to West Bay in Dorset, where he lived with his girlfriend. However, a disagreement in July 2021 led to a cessation of contact a month later.
"I decided that I wouldn't contact Jack - I would let him reach out when he was in a better place," she explained. "By this point the breakdown in our relationship and his behaviour towards me was having a substantial impact on my own mental health." The next communication she received was from police on January 24, 2022, reporting that Jack and Katherine were missing. Officers visited her the following day to deliver the devastating news of their deaths.
Missed Warning Signs and Historical Plans
Ms. Williams revealed she was never informed there was a concern around suicide, stating, "Had I known, I would have advised them of Jack's plans when he was younger to hang himself. In summer 2018 I discovered a rucksack Jack had been taking out to the nature reserve with blue rope and other paraphernalia. He told me he had been planning on hanging himself in the nature reserve. I felt totally unequipped to deal with this."
Inquest Focus and Police Handling
The inquest, expected to last up to four weeks, will scrutinise how police handled the investigation when the pair went missing and examine the decision to release them on bail. Coroner Brendan Allen emphasised to the jury that the nature of the alleged offence meant the couple were at a higher risk of self-harm and suicide. He stated, "This is relevant to your consideration because of the risk assessments that flow from such an arrest and the elevated risk of self-harm and suicide. The fact of the arrest must not prejudice you against Jack or Katie."
Parental Tributes and Systemic Failures
Paying tribute to her son, Ms. Williams described him as a "much-loved baby" whose birth was the "happiest day of my life." She outlined a challenging childhood, with Jack feeling rejected by his father after their separation when he was one year old. By age ten, upon moving to secondary school in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, he became disruptive and began showing signs of ADHD and autism, leading to referrals to mental health and social services.
Despite seeking help from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) after his Asperger's syndrome and anxiety diagnoses, Ms. Williams struggled to obtain the necessary support from the NHS. She noted that Jack's behaviour deteriorated further after they relocated from Coventry to Leamington Spa, and he began using cannabis, becoming aggressive towards her.
Final Months and Arrest Details
Jack first met Katherine Powell in 2018, and Ms. Williams observed that their relationship initially had a positive effect, with Jack smiling and laughing in her company. The couple moved to Dorset in January 2021 while Katherine was pregnant. Ms. Williams last saw her son in person in May 2021 during a visit that ended acrimoniously after he became angry and demanded money.
Jack was first arrested on November 22, 2021, on suspicion of possessing an indecent image, and was re-arrested with Katherine on January 19, 2022. Upon her arrest, Katherine was described as "extremely depressed and agitated" and gave permission for children's services to take their child. Released without charge the same day, Katherine disappeared on January 22, and Jack was reported missing two days later.
Police Searches and Discovery
Katherine's parents had raised concerns that the pair might "do something daft like a suicide pact" and directed police to check their West Bay flat. Dorset Police checked 24 hours later but received no answer. After three additional attempts, officers broke down the door following Jack being reported missing. Inside, they found a whiteboard suggesting the couple planned to kill themselves. Their bodies were discovered by a member of the public at the nature reserve the following morning, with a note in a nearby rucksack. Paramedics declared them dead at the scene.
Father's Testimony and Ongoing Proceedings
Jack's father, Mark Williams, stated in a testimony that his son was the "apple in my eye." He revealed that during a visit for Jack's 16th birthday, his son confessed to smoking weed and self-harming because he was "depressed and unhappy," but refused to seek help from a GP. The inquest heard it was not possible to determine exactly when the couple had died, but it was between 6am on January 22 and the morning of January 25. The proceedings continue, examining the systemic and individual factors that contributed to this tragic outcome.
