Artist found dead in Swansea park after years of homophobic bullying

Man, 26, suffered panic attacks after relationship break-up

William Green suffered panic attacks and struggled with being unable to draw (Green family/Media Wales)

A young Welsh artist who was bullied as teenager for being gay and later suffered panic attacks after a relationship breakdown took his own life, an inquest has heard.

William Green, 26, from Swansea, was found dead two days after a row with a former boyfriend just before Christmas last year, the hearing was told.

The inquest, in Swansea, heard that he found life at his comprehensive school “very difficult” because of homophobic bullying, but kept it quiet from his family until he was a university student.

His family said his friends accepted him for who he was but that he did not accept himself, Wales Online reported.

Mr Green, who studied fine art at Cardiff Metropolitan University, worked in Wagamama’s restaurant in Bridgend but moved back to Swansea after his relationship with Ashley Kelleway ended in 2020.

He was described in the inquest as someone with a caring nature who was always supportive of his friends.

After the breakdown of his relationship, Mr Green tried to wean himself off medication he was given for panic attacks. Around the same time, he slipped and broke his hand, which left him unable to draw, which he struggled with, the hearing was told.

On 10 December, 2021, Mr Green and Mr Kelleway had a row, and later Mr Green suffered a “big” panic attack. The following day, a female friend thought he had seemed “very down and depressed” but had given no mention of wanting to take his own life.

That evening, Mr Green warned his ex-boyfriend that he intended to take his own life, prompting Mr Kelleway to immediately raise the alert.

On 12 December, police officers discovered him in a park, and he died in hospital the following day.

Acting senior coroner Colin Phillips concluded that Mr Green died by suicide and expressed his condolences to his family.

Mr Green’s family told Wales Online they were devastated.

A eulogy said: “Will was definitely a unique individual I think we can all agree on that. He was such a caring person and he would always be there for anyone in hard times.

“Following his degree he worked at Wagamama’s and progressed to front-of-house manager with responsibility for schoolchildren visits. As a result he enrolled to undertake a postgraduate teaching certificate but unfortunately the dreaded Covid struck and all learning transferred to online.

“My brother found this extremely stressful and he subsequently withdrew from the course.

“It was during this time that he opened up about how he felt that he had to justify his sexuality and I can only imagine how hard he found this on a daily basis.

“Every friend accepted Will for who he was, but I don’t think Will accepted himself.”