Gifted Croydon schoolboy, 16, took his own life after being blackmailed for nude photos

A gifted sixth form student from south London took his own life after a blackmailer threatened to send nude photos of him to his online followers.

Dinal De Alwis, “caring” and “gentle”, was a top pupil at Whitgift School in Croydon, where he excelled both in the classroom and on the sports field.

The talented all-rounder represented the prestigious private boys’ football and rugby school and hoped to study economics at Cambridge University after achieving A*s at GCSE.

But Dinal tragically took his own life on October 27, 2022, after receiving threatening messages from an anonymous blackmailer, who has yet to be identified.

His grieving father Kaushallya De Alwi told a recent inquest at South London Coroner’s Court: “His loss is the greatest possible loss. It is so unbelievably painful. The fact that he ended his life in this way … the world is so cruel.”

On October 26, 2022, Dinal had just finished dinner at his family home in Sutton when he unusually told his mother to “leave me alone”.

It is now believed that he was contacted by his blackmailer at that time.

At 1am, Dinal was sent two nude photos of himself, by a person who allegedly wrote: “So you think blocking can stop me? What do you want me to do – send to all your followers? Why can’t you pay me? £100?”

Dinal responded with a message saying he assumed the photos had already been sent to his followers, according to MailOnline.

He is also said to have sent ‘goodbye’ messages to his mother, father and two brothers.

Mr De Alwis reportedly told his son’s inquest: “(Dinal) texted my wife and I to say he loved us and told his two brothers he loved them and said they had to ‘have Mom and Dad””.

The schoolboy left his home for the last time at around 2am and his body was tragically found about an hour later at a building he had fallen from.

An inquest concluded his death was suicide.

The identity of Dinal’s blackmailer is not yet known, but police believe he may have been operating from Nigeria.

“Dinal was the most caring son,” Mr De Alwis told the inquest, according to MailOnline. “He was brilliant. He achieved A* in all his subjects at GCSE and was the school leader in English and Economics.

“We are from Sri Lanka so we were so proud to hear that he was so good at English.

“He was brave. He played for the football and rugby teams at Whitgift School. He never asked us for anything. He was always happy with what he had.”

Mr De Alwis said he wished his son – who was usually “very open” with him about topics such as girlfriends – had told him about what was happening and said he was now “very worried” of the dangers that social networks can present. young people.

“I think (Dinal) wanted to avoid any embarrassment from publishing the images,” the father told MailOnline. “I wish you would have talked to us.

“He’s always been so open in the past. But I think when things happen online, live, it’s like there’s no time left. He did nothing wrong.”

Mr De Alwis believes the nude images may have been taken by a girl while they were with Dinal, before they ended up in the blackmailer’s hands.

He told MailOnline that he also knew some blackmailers posed online as young, attractive girls, swapping nude photos before using them for extortion.

“Grieving never ends,” Mr De Alwis told MailOnline.

“Young people underestimate the dangers around them. There needs to be ways to track these things and parents should have access. I don’t want this to happen to anyone.”

Chris Ramsey, headteacher at Whitgift School, where parents pay fees of up to £48,000 a year to attend their children, paid tribute to Dinal on Monday.

“Dinal was a kind-hearted, bright and extremely talented young man, both in the classroom and in all his co-curricular activities – he always approached everything with determination and good humour,” he said.

“His loss has been a challenge to the entire school community, particularly among his closest friends and guardians, leaving a void that is still very deeply felt. We continue to pay tribute, knowing that the fragility of life demands our compassion and vigilance.”

Following his death, Dinal’s friends set up a Gofundme page to raise money in his memory for the mental health charity Young Minds Trust.

“Beautiful Dinal, we think of you and miss you every day, our love and prayers go out to you and your family,” one supporter wrote. “We hope our donation can help others.”

Another tribute to Dinal as “a good young man who left us far too soon”.

The Met Police have been approached by the Standard for comment.

For mental health support, get in touch Samaritans on 116 123, email them at [email protected] or visit samaritans.org.