Grammar school pupil killed himself 'after being blackmailed by foreign criminals

A teenager who killed himself is thought to have been bullied online by foreign criminals who were blackmailing him, according to his headteacher.

Ronan Hughes, 17, from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, was found dead on Friday. It is thought he took his own life after being duped into posting images on the internet.

Yesterday, hundreds of mourners turned out for the grammar school pupil's funeral in Clonoe, while his headteacher, Geraldine Donnelly said the possibility that Ronan was the victim of blackmail is being investigated.

'This is something different and even more sinister than online or cyber bullying and I think it's important that message gets out to young people and gets out to parents and gets out to teachers,' Mrs Donnelly, the principal at St Joseph's Grammar School, Donaghmore, told the BBC.

'What we're possibly looking at is some international element, of Ronan having been targeted from abroad purely to extort and blackmail him for money.'

Ronan's funeral was held yesterday morning at St Patrick's Church in Clonoe, where the teenager and his brother, Cathal, were altar boys.

Addressing the congregation, Father Benny Fee said: 'Ronan did not take his own life but his life was taken from him, and somewhere in the world, maybe far, far away from Clonoe, is a man, a woman or a gang who are guilty of a heinous crime.' 

A police spokesman confirmed officers are investigating the possibility Ronan was being blackmailed.

'That he may have been blackmailed or there was an attempt to extort money from him is a line of inquiry,' she said. 

'Police are continuing to liaise with a number of statutory bodies and community representatives. Officers have spoken to pupils at a school in the area and offered advice regarding safe internet use and any type of virtual interaction including social media sites, chatrooms and through interactive games.

'If anyone has experienced anything of a similar nature or has received any inappropriate images or links, it is important that they contact Police or tell a trusted adult. By doing this you will be helping prevent further such incidents. You will not get into trouble.

'We all deserve to be able to use the internet to learn, explore and connect with each other. But all of us need to be aware of the risks involved in doing so, especially on social media.' 

Ronan, a keen GAA (Gaelic Athletics Association) player was found dead in the Coole Road area of Coalisland on Friday.

Speaking before the teenager's funeral, Fr Fee said the close-knit rural community had been left stunned and blamed 'faceless individuals' for intimidating the teenager.

Fr Fee said: 'He did not take his own life. His life was taken by these faceless people who put the child into a burning building that he felt he could not escape.'

It is understood Ronan had told his parents about the cyber-bullying and made a complaint to police.

Fr Fee added: 'It is a total and absolute tragedy but it is a different kind of tragedy because there is an element of cyber-crime involved.

'It would frighten any of us how children can be the victim of these faceless individuals. These people had something that they were using as a lever to frighten the child.

'But he had told his parents and they went to the police. It is just so tragic that these faceless people have robbed a family and community of a much loved child.'

Scores of tributes have been left on Clonoe community Facebook pages.

His gaelic football team, Clonoe O'Rahilly's said the tragedy had cast a dark shadow.

A statement said: 'Ronan was a youth player, having played goalkeeper throughout his short youth career. He was a quiet and modest young lad who was popular among all players and coaches. His death has left a dark shadow hanging over our club.'