Brenda Leyland. Coroner confirms cause of death as suicide.

[DCI]

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Brenda-Leyland-inquest-death-McCann-Twitter-troll/story-26194050-detail/story.html

Brenda Leyland: Full inquest into death of 'McCann Twitter troll' begins today
By Yasmin_Duffin | Posted: March 20, 2015


The full inquest into the death of a woman who is believed to have sent abusive tweets about the parents of missing youngster Madeleine McCann is due to start today at Leicester Coroner's Court.

Brenda Katheryn Gabrielle Leyland, 63, of Burton Overy, was found dead in a hotel room in Enderby, on Saturday, October 4.

She was named on national television as an internet 'troll' two days earlier, accused of targeting Kate and Gerry McCann with vile messages on Twitter.

It was then that Ms Leyland was confronted on national TV by Sky News presenter Martin Brunt regarding the accusations.

Shortly after, Ms Leyland left her home and rented a room at the Leicester Marriott Hotel, where she was found dead.

READ: 'TWITTER TROLL' BRENDA LEYLAND FOUND DEAD IN HOTEL ROOM

At a pre-inquest review at Leicester town hall in December, coroner Catherine Mason said Mr Brunt and Jonathan Levy, director of news gathering operations at Sky News, would be giving evidence.

Mrs Mason did add that none of the witnesses called to give evidence will have any criminal action taken against them.

Sergeant Kevin Taylor, of Braunstone police station, was the first officer on the scene and found Ms Leyland's body.

Giving evidence at the pre-inquest review, he said her body had been taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary on Sunday and formally identified by family member Michael Leyland.

Mrs Mason asked if foul play had been involved in Ms Leyland's death, to which Sgt Taylor replied: "There did not appear to be. No."

The cause of death is not yet known.

Ms Leyland's tweets included accusations that Mr and Mrs McCann, of Rothley, were involved in their daughter's disappearance.

Posting on Twitter, using the Twitter handle @Sweepyface, her messages included: "I 'hate' cruelty, liars, those who profit from another's tragedy, ergo my 'hate for Kate and Gerry' is justified."

Another post read: "To Kate and Gerry, you will be hated by millions for the rest of your miserable, evil, conniving lives, have a nice day!"

The inquest will also hear from Ben Leyland, one of Ms Leyland's sons.

The inquest will not feature a jury.



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[faithlilly]

A tweet from someone in the court :

'It was a complex set of chemical results in her blood, which confuses the precise cause of death #mccann #brendaleyland
10:35am - 20 Mar 15'

[carlymichelle]

A tweet from someone in the court :

'It was a complex set of chemical results in her blood, which confuses the precise cause of death #mccann #brendaleyland
10:35am - 20 Mar 15'

was she poisoned???

[faithlilly]

Police confirm no criminal tweets sent from @sweepyface Twitter acct prior to 29 Sept.

[carlymichelle]

Police confirm no criminal tweets sent from @sweepyface Twitter acct prior to 29 Sept.

well thats really  good!!!

[faithlilly]

Inquest to begin into death of 'internet troll' accused of abusing Madeleine McCanns' parents



By  Victoria Ward
Published 20 March 2015

Two journalists will be called as witnesses at inquest of Brenda Leyland



Brenda Leyland pictured with her son Ben. He has posted online "I love you, mum. I will miss you forever."

Two Sky News journalists will give evidence today at an inquest into the death of an alleged internet "troll" accused of abusing the parents of Madeleine McCann.

Crime correspondent Martin Brunt and head of newsgathering Jonathan Levy will be called as witnesses into the death of Brenda Leyland.

The 63-year-old's body was found in a hotel room in Leicester last October, two days after she featured in a Sky News report exposing online abuse directed at Kate and Gerry McCann.



She had faced widespread condemnation after being exposed for posting thousands of messages on Twitter attacking the McCanns, whose daughter Madeleine disappeared in Portugal in 2007.

Tweets from the @sweepyface account had said that the McCanns should suffer “for the rest of their miserable lives”.

Mrs Leyland, a mother-of-two from Burton Overy, Leicestershire, was asked by Mr Brunt why she was attacking the couple and responded that she was “entitled to”.

She was informed that she had been reported to the police and that officers were considering an apparent campaign of abuse against the couple by her and other online “trolls”.

She responded that was “fair enough”.

Mr Brunt said he had later been invited into Mrs Leyland’s home, where she told him she had questions for the McCanns but hoped she had not broken the law.

Police officers, a toxicologist and a doctor are also due to give evidence at the one-day hearing, held by Leicester coroner Catherine Mason at Leicester Town Hall.

A pre-inquest hearing heard that no one was facing any criminal action over Mrs Leyland's.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/11484562/Inquest-to-begin-into-death-of-internet-troll-accused-of-abusing-Madeleine-McCanns-parents.html

[carlymichelle]

how does it feel now mcann supporters brenda  made no  threats according to police and  she was hounded to her death??

[Mr Gray]

how does it feel now mcann supporters brenda  made no  threats according to police and  she was hounded to her death??

just 50 abusive texts each day but not threatening...still a nasty piece of work

[John]

Let's keep comments constructive please.

[DCI]

As expected 

natalie charlesworth ‏@nataliecharlesw 56 secs56 seconds ago
Psychiatrist now testifying, says she had a mental health condition...#brendaleyland #mccann

[faithlilly]

As expected 

natalie charlesworth ‏@nataliecharlesw 56 secs56 seconds ago
Psychiatrist now testifying, says she had a mental health condition...#brendaleyland #mccann

Which makes the targeting of her even more abhorrent.

[carlymichelle]

Let's keep comments constructive please.

sorry i had to vent my anger at those who hounded a women to death  police said she  broke no laws

[Alfred R Jones]

Which makes the targeting of her even more abhorrent.

Was Brenda's mental health condition obvious when she was tweeting?  Personally, I'd say so, and I think it's obvious in many of those who spend all day every day tweeting bile about one subject. 

[faithlilly]

sorry i had to vent my anger at those who hounded a women to death  police said she  broke no laws

And a woman apparently with mental health problems.

[carlymichelle]

And a woman apparently with mental health problems.

that makes it even worse.... and martin brunt     is too coward to say who released the dossier  it proves one thing though police said brendas opinion was not criminal so the  mcanns nor supporters     should never  ever mention      what we  write again it is a opinion   which is not against the  law  it is not hounding or stalking it is having a opinion