Owen Donnelly: Prevention of future deaths report
Skip to related content
Date of report: 17/10/2025
Ref: 2025-0532
Deceased name: Owen Donnelly
Coroner name: Timothy Brennand
Coroner Area: Manchester West
Category: Suicide (from 2015)
This report is being sent to: Department for Health and Social Care
| REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS | |
|---|---|
| THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: [REDACTED] Secretary of State for the Home Department House of Commons London SW1A 0AA | |
| 1 | CORONER I am Timothy William Brennand, HM Senior Coroner, for the coroner area of Greater Manchester (West) |
| 2 | CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS I make this report under paragraph 7, Schedule 5, of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and Regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013. |
| 3 | INVESTIGATION and INQUEST On 18th of February 2025, I commenced an investigation into the death of OWEN AUSTIN DONNELLY, aged 19 years. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 16th of October 2025.. The medical cause of death was; 1a [REDACTED] wound to the head The conclusion of the inquest was a short form conclusion of ‘Suicide’ |
| 4 | CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH On the morning of the 16th of February 2025, the deceased was discovered [REDACTED] in the garden of his residence at 103 Ruskin Avenue, Wigan in a collapsed and unresponsive condition with a head injury that transpired to have been a self-inflicted single [REDACTED] wound from which he was verified dead by attending paramedics. The weapon used was a homemade, improvised ‘[REDACTED]’ – albeit the precise circumstances of when it was manufactured and why retained by the deceased remains unclear. Police recovered an unequivocal note of intent handwritten by the deceased from within his motor car. His postmortem samples established him to have been moderately intoxicated from alcohol he had been seen taking during the previous night out with friends. The evidence established that the deceased’s actions have been deliberate and intentional, albeit an impulsive, illogical and irrational act in the context of recent emotional dysregulation associated with his private life causing him to experience low mood and self- esteem, anxiety with elements of paranoia, potentially exacerbated by his recent consumption of anabolic steroids in preceding weeks. |
| 5 | CORONER’S CONCERNS During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern. In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken. In the circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you. The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows:- 1. The deceased was able research, access, download and then to make use of [REDACTED] widely available on the internet, primarily from the United States, [REDACTED]. 2. The possession of [REDACTED] that can enable an individual to construct a [REDACTED] is not currently a criminal offence. [REDACTED] expert that there is an alarming proliferation. 3. I heard evidence from a of [REDACTED] weapons within England and Wales, [REDACTED] that are unlicenced and therefore increasingly available for criminal or nefarious purposes. 4. A Bill criminalising the possession of such second reading before Parliament. Until such time proposed legislation is enacted, there remains a real and immediate risk that individuals may access the internet [REDACTED] |
| 6 | ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you and/or your organization have the power to take such action. |
| 7 | YOUR RESPONSE You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report, namely by 28th November 2025. I, the coroner, may extend the period. Your response must contain details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out the timetable for action. Otherwise you must explain why no action is proposed. |
| 8 | COPIES and PUBLICATION I have sent a copy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following Interested Persons; [REDACTED] – parents of the deceased [REDACTED], Chief Constable, Greater Manchester Police [REDACTED] Chief Executive, College of Policing [REDACTED], Labour MP for Makerfield I am also under a duty to send a copy of your response to the Chief Coroner and all interested persons who in my opinion should receive it. I may also send a copy of your response to any other person who I believe may find it useful or of interest. The Chief Coroner may publish either or both in a complete or redacted or summary form. He may send a copy of this report to any person who he believes may find it useful or of interest. You may make representations to me, the coroner, at the time of your response, about the release or the publication of your response. |
| 9 | 17th October 2025 |