Army cadet may have killed himself wrongly 'fearing he may have been involved in murder'

UK: A teenage Army cadet may have killed himself after falsely believing he may have been involved in a murder, because he could not remember the night in question.

It is believed Jack Wilson, 17, jumped from the balcony of a Birmingham tower block last month out of fear his army career would be left in tatters over the killing.

He believed his drink had been spiked and was also terrified chemicals might show up in military drugs tests, which would also end his dreams.

Tragically the inquest held at Birmingham Coroner’s Court heard Jack had never been sought as a suspect or even a witness into a death in Blackpool.

Described as one of the most competent young soldiers in his class, Birmingham Coroner Louise Hunt recorded a verdict of suicide over Jack’s death at Victor Tower, Nechells, on January 5.

Dad Mark Wilson said it was only after his son’s death he had learnt of the cadet’s concerns, reports the Birmingham Mail.

He told the court: “He spoke to his brother on the Saturday (January 3).

He indicated he thought his drink had been spiked on New Year because there was a big blank in his memory.

“He was scared he would fail a drugs test in the army. There was an incident in Blackpool where a gentleman got killed.

"He was worried he had been involved.

“He was worried his career in the army was over.”

Birmingham Mail 17 year old army cadet Jack Wilson plunged to his death from a Victor Tower block in Birmingham, after believing his drink had been spiked on a night out in Blackpool, and that he might have even been involved in a murder, because he could remember nothing about the evening

Jack had been due to return to barracks at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, Yorkshire on January 5.

However he was found at the foot of Victor Tower shortly after 8pm.

Mr Wilson said his son had been thriving after his first term at college.

“I was getting regular phone calls and he was enjoying it, he relished the physical challenges he was given.

“When he first came back we couldn’t stop him talking about what he had been doing.”

Detective constable Brian Salt told the court there were no suspicion of foul play over Jack’s death.

And he added the teen had not been involved in the Blackpool murder.

He said: “Jack did not feature in the investigation either as a witness or a suspect.”

Getty 17 year old army cadet Jack Wilson plunged to his death from a Victor Tower block in Birmingham, after believing his drink had been spiked on a night out in Blackpool, and that he might have even been involved in a murder, because he could remember nothing about the evening

Lieutenant Simeon Hayes, Jack’s platoon commander, said the teen had a promising career ahead.

“When he arrived he was perhaps one of the cockiest blokes in the platoon.

“He was quickly seen by peers to be one of the more competent blokes in the section.

“That was noticed by his section commander and myself.”

Coroner Mrs Hunt ruled Jack, who would have gone on to join the Royal Signal Regiment, had intended to kill himself.

She said: “None of us will ever know what was going through Jack’s mind at that time.

"The worries we think he had we know were ill-founded.”