Jack Ritchie: Parents say state 'does not want to know' about son's death

Jack Ritchie took his own life in Vietnam in 2017

The parents of a gambling addict have said government bodies "do not want to know" about the reason their "perfectly happy and healthy" son died.

Jack Ritchie, 24, from Sheffield, took his own life in November 2017.

Charles and Liz Ritchie were speaking after coroner David Urpeth ruled on what matters would be included in an inquest into his death.

On Friday Mr Urpeth said it would examine whether gambling "caused or contributed" to his death.

His parents welcomed the move after saying Mr Ritchie was "engaged with products licensed by the state".

They have spent three years arguing that failures on the part of UK authorities to treat gambling issues had contributed to their son's death, and campaigning for reform through the charity Gambling with Lives.

The Sheffield coroner said the inquest would also investigate issues including the state's provision of medical treatment to Mr Ritchie, and the information available to him and his family about the risks of gambling.

It will also look at whether the state failed in its duty to protect him, he ruled.

However, Mr Urpeth refused a plea to open the inquest into a wider investigation of the effectiveness of the regulation of the gambling industry in the UK.

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Mr Ritchie died in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2017.

He had been working as an English teacher at the time, and had suffered years of gambling problems dating back to his teens.

Paul Greaney QC, the family's barrister, told the hearing there was "acute public concern" about the state of gambling regulation.

"The state bodies are seeking to prevent public scrutiny of the full extent of what we contend were their failures", he said.

Mrs and Mrs Ritchie, speaking outside Sheffield Town Hall on Friday, criticised the Gambling Commission, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Department of Health and Social Care for arguing that the inquest should focus only on the immediate circumstances of their son's death.

A previous coroner, since retired, ruled last year that the full hearing, which will be held over two weeks in February, will be what is known as an "Article 2 inquest".

This means it can examine whether any arm of the state breached its duty to protect Mr Ritchie's right to life.

Mrs Ritchie said: "We know that Article 2 is engaged, which means the state potentially did not protect Jack's life.

"The final inquest will consider the state of regulation and then the coroner will decide if gambling killed Jack."

Mr Ritchie's father said the family had made "a lot of progress" in its fight to broaden the scope of the inquest.

He added: "We were looking at a 15-minute inquest. We're so much further ahead."

A full inquest into Jack Ritchie's death has been provisionally listed for 1 February.

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