Bullied girl wrote diary on suicide, inquest told

A 15-year-old girl who took an overdose after years of bullying shared a secret diary with a school friend in which she recorded her intention to kill herself, an inquest heard yesterday.

Elaine Swift's ordeal at the hands of other pupils – including pencils being stabbed into her back and chairs pulled away as she sat down – began after she donated her bone marrow to her younger sister Christine and gained "celebrity" status in Hartlepool, five years ago. She discussed taking her life, in a school exercise book she and a friend used as a diary, the inquest in Hartlepool heard.

Her father, Bernard, 45, believes the publicity and ensuing bullying led Elaine to take 15 paracetamol tablets last November. She died in hospital 10 days later despite undergoing an emergency liver transplant.

Elaine had received 37 counselling sessions after being referred to specialists by her school. Susan Davis, who conducted the sessions, said bullying was not at the root of the problems. "There was much more underneath," she said.

But Mr Swift said: "My conclusion is that the bullying killed her."

The inquest is expected to conclude tomorrow.