Jury gives open verdict on teenager who died after 'relationship with star'

There were "shortcomings" in the care given to a teenager who died in a psychiatric unit after allegedly being pressured by a male celebrity into sexual activity, an inquest jury has concluded.

The family of Ben Cowburn, 18, said he was badly let down by the NHS, claiming that staff had not responded to the youngster's allegations effectively.

Shortly before he died Cowburn claimed "sexual things" he had allegedly done with the unnamed television star made him feel dirty and ashamed. He said the man showered him with gifts and gave him alcohol and drugs.

Cowburn died of asphyxia alone in the en-suite bathroom of his locked room at a unit in Cornwall in December 2010, a few months after returning home from London, where he had worked as a stylist for the celebrity.

Speaking after the inquest, Ben's mother, Sharon Cowburn, said the young man's care had been "inadequate, substandard and with systemic failures".

She said her son made allegations of what had happened to him when he worked for the celebrity to four members of care staff but no safeguarding procedure was put in place.

She said the family remained convinced staff did not understand his needs as an 18-year-old and expressed frustration that key members of staff were not called to give evidence at the inquest and others had not been able to recall important facts.

Ms Cowburn said: "After an agonising wait of over 1,000 days, this inquest has been bitterly disappointing. Ben put his faith in the system so he could recover and be safe. He didn't recover and he was not safe. We feel Ben was thoroughly failed by the NHS and our family has been failed by the inquest process. This is a tragic injustice."

She said the family was channelling its "agony" into positive activity by setting up a charity called the Invictus Trust campaigning for the launch of a young people's mental health unit in Cowburn's native Cornwall.

The jury returned an open verdict. But it also found that: "A combination of shortcomings in his care, including but not restricted to poor communication and the proximity of the staff on duty, contributed to his opportunity to carry out this act."

Emma Carlyon, the Cornwall coroner, has refused to name the celebrity, identifying him only as Mr X throughout the inquest. Her office said the policy was agreed between lawyers for the family and the Cornwall Partnership NHS foundation trust, which runs the unit where Cowburn died.

She did not judge the name relevant.

In her summing-up, Carlyon told the jury at Truro that it should not try to apportion blame over the teenager's death, emphasising that nobody was on trial. Police have investigated Cowburn's claims and concluded that no criminal act was committed. The celebrity has not been arrested.

The inquest was told that Cowburn claimed he made more than 40 attempts to take his life after being "pressured" into doing "sexual things" with the television celebrity.

In December 2010, Cowburn was found dead at Longreach House near Redruth.

There is no suggestion anyone else was involved. Doctors believed he was suffering from a depressive illness and might have had post-traumatic stress disorder.

The inquest was told that Cowburn, a fashion student, met the celebrity in a pub in London and began working as his stylist.

Detective Constable Joanna Sodergren, who investigated Cowburn's death, told the jury: "He said the man had brought him nice things and took him to nice places but had done sexual things to him. Asked if he had been raped or sexually assaulted he said he had not but agreed to them as he felt pressured to do the things. He said if he killed himself it would make it better as it would make it go away."

Speaking after the inquest, the medical director of the foundation trust, Dr Ellen Wilkinson said Cowburn spent a "very short time" as a patient under its care.

She said: "Despite our efforts, Ben sadly died. We immediately examined all aspects of our treatment and care. On the day Ben died he had been out with his sister. When back on the ward he was engaging well with staff and the other patients. He gave no indication of the tragic events were to later occur."

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