A charity set up to help prevent young people from killing themselves is calling on journalists to be more responsible when reporting suicide.

Papyrus is concerned that detailed reporting of the method used by Kevin Whitrick, who recently took his life live on an internet chat room, could lead to copycat suicides. It also breaks the rules of sensitivity and responsibility, says the charity.

The Press Complaints Commission last year strengthened its own Code of Practice sub-clause to address copycat suicide – and inserted two new guidelines on intrusion into grief and shock because It felt that the risk of copycat suicides should be addressed specifically.

It states: “When reporting suicide, care should be taken to avoid excessive detail about the method used.”

Papyrus chairman Anne Parry said: “To a vulnerable young person, who may be feeling worthless and suicidal, explicit descriptions of how to kill yourself could encourage action from which there is no going back.

“We know that through raising awareness of the indicators of suicidal tendencies, encouragement to talk openly about suicide, and early intervention, suicide need not be the inevitable result of feeling suicidal.

“It is well known that the insensitive media reporting of suicide can prompt copycat cases.”

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