Open Letter from Lewis Daynes

Open Letter from Lewis Daynes

November 2015

The purpose of this statement is not intended to cause further distress to the family and friends of Breck. It is to put forward additional details unknown to the general public who did not know Breck or me.

I have waited and respected the need for the family and friends of Breck to take full advantage of the media coverage and feel it is now time to release my own statement.

It is not my intention to advocate innocence or attack anyone involved for any personal reason.
I am responsible for the death of Breck, a boy of just 14, despite only being a young adult and just 4 months into legal adulthood myself. Nothing will change the fact that while he was with me I had a duty of care towards him and I failed.

As many of the people involved in this case will know I initially informed mutual friends of his death. What happened was out of character for both of us and tragically he lost his life. I hope that those close to him can draw some comfort from the fact that his death ensued seconds after he suffered the injury, a claim echoed by the Prosecution Pathologist. Because of the nature of the injury and it's seriousness, resuscitation attempts made by myself were futile.

The right wing media and it's supporters over the course of the last almost 2 years have sought to exploit Brecks death as they so often do to suit their own agendas. Planting false and unfounded information and fear into the general public at large, one example being their claim that video games cause violent behaviour. The online gaming community largely is a safe and constructive environment where people from all over the world, of all ages can come together in a pressure free environment in a way not possible in the outside physical world, develop friendships and generally have fun. It is not as many tabloids have suggested a lawless place that breeds social unrest. In addition the media and family have accused me falsely of raping a boy, incredibly whilst 2 adults were sitting in the next room. The police fully investigated this accusation and found it to have no substance. They found no evidence whatsoever. The boy retracted this false accusation. The prosecution deemed it unreliable and unsafe to put it forward as part if their evidence against me in 2014. Again reinforcing the fact that the media and those involved in sensationalising headlines will go to any lengths to manipulate verifiable facts for their own agenda.

Breck and I were part of that community which involved people from all over the world, although a large proportion of our members were British or American and enjoyed diversity on a scale unseen in many online communities. The majority of our members were teenagers such as myself. I was 16 when I founded this community and our members ages ranged from 8 to 25 on average. We all knew each other and some formed strong bonds with each other as often happens online which is sometimes easier in this virtual world than in real life. We grew to know each other over the years and foster an environment built on principles of mutual respect and common interests.

Breck along with 8 other members including myself were administrators of this group. This meant that with regards to Team-Speak in particular each administrator had the power to exercise a great deal of power regarding banning, unbanning, rescinding and granting privileges and no one person including me had full authority as has been suggested falsely. We were essentially a co-operative. The right wing media has sought to exploit the frankly technologically illiterate, view the general public have of online 'chat rooms' and so called 'video game violence'. Fears that are illogical and unsubstantiated, fears that crucially make exciting headlines that sell newspapers and those same fears which keep the public in fear and keep the media profits rising.

Breck was driven away from family life and towards the virtual world. He drew comfort from the friends he made online.

Our community members and myself learned that Breck suffered severe abuse at home.

Abuse from someone who was supposed to nurture him and care for him. Someone who was supposed to encourage him and support him in his hopes and dreams and in the career path that he had chosen, a career path he shared with us, his online friends who would listen and try give advice on how to deal with the abuse.

We learned and some of us witnessed and recorded that abusive individual regularly coming home in a state of intoxication and letting fly with drunken abusive behaviour at Breck, shouting and humiliating him,often turning violent, causing Breck to withdraw to further into that virtual safe haven that he found online. Often shutting himself in his bedroom as a means of escape.

This he shared with other members and myself. His abuser is well known to police. Various people had previously filed reports of child abuse and domestic violence with the police which are on record and easily verifiable.

There is always a different side to every picture painted and this is why this open letter is of importance.

His abusers details and the reports made against them is on the Police National Computer, the Police National Computer they so readily talk about with the media in regards to myself.

One example of the abuse on record is his abuser came home on one of the many occasions invariably drunk and in their madness took a pair of kitchen scissors and chopped one of Breck's young siblings hair off. This incident is recorded on the Police National Computer Database along with various the other domestic abuse reports filed.

This systematic violent and emotional abuse destroyed Breck's self esteem and confidence, destroyed his hopes and dreams of a career path which he wished to pursue and not one chosen for him, telling our community that he was being forced to attend a church of which he said he had no interest, in the months leading up to the events in February 2014.

On reflection I believe this is why he formed this strong emotional attachment to me. He obviously drew some kind of comfort in having others and myself to confide in, to talk to about his domestic problems and abuse. Someone who encouraged him and tried to help him deal with the abuse and mixed up feelings, try to advise him to try to choose his own path and not be coerced into careers and fundamental religious beliefs he did not believe in or want to follow.

I and others supported him in his choices of career path and helped him deal with the after effects of the abusive episodes. He probably viewed me as someone he could trust and confide in, like an older brother almost. Myself being only 3 years older and like Breck still maturing.

I had a great deal of respect for Breck. He was smart, funny, warm and well tempered, but every human has their breaking point and on that day or just prior to it he had reached his. He viewed me as some kind of support and shelter from the abuse he was suffering at home. He somehow felt he was about to lose that vital lifeline I believe.

I had been offered a job abroad. I was in the final stages of preparation to leave to take up that job. I had only days before the incident returned from abroad and was set to leave again with my one way ticket already purchased, all verifiable, and my semi unpacked suitcase from my previous trip awaiting repacking for the next trip in 2 days time. I had a lot to do but allowed Breck to once again confide in me about his domestic situation and abuse.

He knew of my plans and when he saw my suitcase semi packed and that I was about to leave I believe this sent him into a further state of panic. This led to a fight which is totally out of character for both of us and ended in his tragic death.

I am sorry that Breck died. I cannot begin to imagine the pain and suffering this has caused to his wider family and friends and especially his younger siblings.

I don't intend to name Brecks abuser who forced him to take comfort in the Internet virtual world. I don't need to. They know who they are, as well as the police from the abuse reports filed, and those close to Breck from the outline and details described above.

I would like to end by thanking two people who I once could call good friends. Who learned about Breck's death first.

Again the media has falsely reported parts of the time line and series of events but this is the norm sadly.

Those two friends who I whilst in a complete state of shock I confided in for guidance and help. Friends who despite what I am sure was an immense amount of pressure from influences close to the investigation remained truthful and unbiased throughout the interviewing process giving fair, concise and representative character statements of me to investigators. Witnesses who despite what has occurred knew in their hearts 'something didn't quite fit' in ignorance of the populist rhetoric generated and spun out of control by ignorance and manupulation of the facts by Brecks family, the media and a few of Brecks ex-friends creating an entirely fictional, no doubt with some help from outside sources account of my character. 

Those two friends and witnesses more significantly went as far as to detail in their statements the abuse Breck was suffering at home by his abuser with what information they already had about his domestic situation as best they could.

I thank you both for having the courage to tell the truth even though few were listening or interested.

Sensationalism and fabrication makes much better headlines and is often used to mask and deflect attention away from what might be considered others guilty consciences.

Breck you will always be in my thoughts. I hope you are at peace. I am so sorry.

Your friend

Lewis Daynes