Cruel mob in 'jump' taunts to death plunge teen

A suicidal teenager plunged 60ft to his death from a multi-storey car-park after a baying crowd of onlookers callously urged him to jump.

Shaun Dykes, 17, fell from the car-park in Derby city-centre after police negotiators had spent three hours trying to talk him down.

As he threatened to leap several hundred people gathered outside the busy Westfield Centre - some shouting at him to kill himself.

As the drama unfolded on the city's most popular shopping street, others allegedly taunted him by yelling: "How far can you bounce?"

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Superintendent Andy Hough, of Derbyshire police, said he was "disturbed" by some of the comments aimed at the teenager.

I find it a disturbing and shocking reflection on society

"People were at the police cordon shouting for the man to jump," he said. "I find it a disturbing and shocking reflection on society when people feel inclined to do that.

"We really need the public to work with us - not against us. It was very disappointing situation."

Shaun, of Kilburn, near Derby, is believed to have been suffering from depression and is thought to have recently had a relationship breakdown.

His parents were said to be "totally distraught" and were too upset to talk about the weekend tragedy.