Tragic death of boy, 15, after no one told his family his bail had elapsed

‘The biggest hole has been left in our hearts that can never be fixed’

Tyrique Jemaa(Image: Submitted)

A family wasn’t told bail restrictions imposed by police on their 15-year-old son had lapsed more than two months before he was found dead at his home, an inquest heard. Talented young footballer Tyrique Jemaa, who played for Wythenshawe Amateurs, was arrested on June 30, 2023, and released on bail subject to a number of conditions.

He was tragically found dead at his home on December 20 after being found with a mobile phone at school earlier that day. One of the bail conditions was that he couldn’t access devices including mobile phones.

The inquest into Tyrique’s death at Manchester Coroner’s Court was told his bail had elapsed after three months on October 1, but no one had told either him or his family. Coroner Zac Golumbeck was told of ‘administrative oversights’ and ‘administrative errors’.

The inquest heard Greater Manchester Police told Tuckers solicitors, which represented Tyrique when he was arrested, on November 15, more than a month after his bail had elapsed, but they didn’t tell the family subsequently. It meant Tyrique and his family believed he was still subject to the conditions of his bail when he wasn’t.

The inquest heard he had been ‘released under investigation’, a different status to being on bail.

The inquest heard Tyrique, who it was said ‘wasn’t the type to show his emotions’, and his family attended a police station on October 1, but were told to return in the new year. At that point, he wasn’t subject to bail conditions.

His school, Dixons Brooklands Academy in Wythenshawe, ‘had been made aware’ of the conditions of his bail, the hearing was told, but hadn’t been told they had elapsed either.

Tyrique was 15(Image: Submitted)

On the day of his death, Tyrique was caught with a phone in a canteen at the school. It was subsequently confiscated. Tyrique, the inquest heard, said the phone belonged to his brother and that he had taken it into school to give it back to him.

His mother, Sue-Ellen Spence, said in evidence she was contacted by the school and told about the phone. She said the school told her they would have to report it to the police as a breach of bail. Ms Spence said she was ‘concerned’ at that point about a ‘potential breach of bail’ and that she ‘assumed’ the school would alert GMP.

Tyrique went home after school with a friend. He was sadly found dead later after his mother got home from work. His sister, Amira Jemaa, said Tyrique ‘seemed okay’ and was ‘messing about’ with his friend at home after school. His friend went on to leave the house.

Giving evidence, his sister claimed Tyrique told her that a teacher told him that ‘he would be going to prison’ and would be ‘going away for a long time’. She said she was not sure whether he was joking or being serious. “I would say that he was a little bit worried but he did not show emotion,” she said. “It is hard to tell.

“When he was making that statement he was still laughing, but it died down a bit.”

Amira said she was told after his death by friends at the school that Tyrique was ‘down’ during the day at school in the aftermath and kept his head down during classes. But she said she had no concerns for him when she saw him at home after school.

An inquest is being held(Image: MEN Media)

The inquest heard a note in Tyrique’s handwriting was found on the staircase saying ‘fake smiles every day was already killing me’.

GMP Detective Inspector Gary Kelly led a ‘special procedure investigation’ after Tyrique’s death. He said he found out two days later that Tyrique’s mother hadn’t been told the bail conditions had lapsed and that an email referencing the potential breach of bail after the phone was found at school had been sent by the school to the officer in the case.

Det Insp Kelly said in a statement he was told of an ‘administrative oversight’ on the part of Tuckers.

The court heard any extension to the three month period of bail would need the authorisation of an inspector, but no extension was authorised.

But the inquest was told Tyrique and his mother attended the police station on October 1, and there was a presumption bail was being extended because they were told to come back in January.

Tuckers, the inquest heard, ‘chased’ GMP twice about the bail conditions. A legal representative from the firm of solicitors told the inquest Tuckers ‘will say that the duty remains with the police’ to inform a suspect, and potentially, their family when bail elapses.

GMP, however, said in evidence it was ‘sufficient’ at the time that GMP only told Tyrique’s legal team and that it was ‘compliant’ with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE).

In a tribute read out in court, his family called him an ‘active, curious, intelligent and fun child’. “He loved being around his family,” they said. “Tyrique loved any form of physical activity. He was walking by 10 months and had a natural talent for football. He was always the fastest in his year. He would always proudly show off his trophies and medals.”

They said Tyrique was a talented artist and a ‘prankster’ at home. He took pride in his appearance, the family added in the tribute, and was a ‘daredevil’ who would ‘try anything once’.

“Tyrique was, and still is, loved by his family and friends,” the tribute went on. “The biggest hole has been left in our hearts that can never be fixed.”

The nature of Tyrique’s arrest wasn’t disclosed. At the time he died, he hadn’t been charged with any offence, the coroner stressed.

Proceeding.