Steve Dymond was 'distraught' after failing lie detector on ITV's Jeremy Kyle Show, inquest hears

Steve Dymond, from Portsmouth, Hampshire, died seven days after filming for the ITV programme in May 2019. Credit: PA/Hampshire police

An inquest into the death of a guest who had appeared on the Jeremy Kyle show has heard he was distraught after failing a lie detector test.

Mr Dymond, from Portsmouth, Hampshire, is suspected to have taken his own life seven days after filming for the ITV programme in May 2019.

He had taken a lie detector test for the show after being accused of cheating on his ex-fiancee, Jane Callaghan, from Gosport.

The inquest is expected to last five days at Winchester Coroner's Court.

Mr Dymond’s son, Carl Woolley, told the inquest that on the day of the filming he received a call from his uncle, Leslie Dymond, to say his father was "very down".

He said his father told him that the "lie detector had cast him as a liar, he said to me, he wasn’t lying. He was telling the truth, he was not lying… and asking why it said he had lied".

Mr Woolley said he phoned his father, who told him that Jeremy Kyle had "egged on" the audience to "boo him".

He added that his father "was very upset, saying he was being called a liar, everyone had jumped on him, (he was) not with it at all".

When asked by counsel to the inquest Rachel Spearing who had "jumped on him", Mr Woolley replied: "Jeremy Kyle had got the crowd to egg on, to boo at him and stuff, he was cast as the liar before he had even spoken."

The coroner previously made Jeremy Kyle an interested person to the inquest because 'he may have caused or contributed' to Mr Dymond's death Credit: PA

The inquest also heard from Leslie Dymond, who said that his brother was “jeered and called a failure” by TV host Jeremy Kyle,

Leslie Dymond’s statement, which was read aloud by counsel, recalled phone conversations between the brothers after the show was filmed: “He was clearly very distressed.

"I was very surprised and worried when he told me he was in a taxi travelling home from the Jeremy Kyle Show having taken part, and that he had endured a terrible time.

“He sounded completely broken and frightened and told me he could not go on living.”

The court heard the brothers had multiple conversations over the next few days.

Leslie Dymond recalled how his brother was “consumed” by what had happened when he appeared on The Jeremy Kyle Show, the inquest heard.

The statement cont: “He was consumed by what had happened on the show.

“He repeated that he had the result of a lie detector test which he did not agree with pushed in his face, and (was) called a traitor, with the presenter and audience all heckling him."

Steve Dymond appeared on the Jeremy Kyle show in May 2019. The episode was not aired. Credit: Hampshire Police

Jane Callaghan, Mr Dymond's ex-fiancee, wiped her eyes with a tissue while giving evidence.

She told the inquest, the final text from her former partner said the programme makers “are responsible for what happens now”.

On 6 May 2019, Mr Dymond sent a WhatsApp to Ms Callaghan saying: “This will be the last time I say it, I was never, never ever unfaithful to you, in all the time we were together.

“I hope The Jeremy Kyle Show is so happy now, as to what they have done to me.

“I did lie about my past, but not about me being a cheat, I never ever did cheat on you.

“They are responsible for what happens now, I hope this makes good ratings for them, I bet they keep this quiet.

“Never did I cheat on you, never, never. My final words. I did try to explain to you, but you would not listen.”

Extracts from a note he left for Ms Callaghan were read out in court, in which Mr Dymond said: “I pushed and pushed for the Jeremy Kyle Show to prove to Jane I never ever did (cheat on her). But it all went wrong.

“I failed because I lied about my past. Now I have lost you forever.”

Ms Callaghan also said Jeremy Kyle was “a bit rude” to Mr Dymond when he appeared on the show.

A preliminary hearing in 2020 was told Mr Dymond had felt "life was not worth living" after his appearance on the show - which was later cancelled.

Hampshire coroner Jason Pegg previously ruled that Jeremy Kyle had called Mr Dymond a "serial liar" and said he "would not trust him with a chocolate button".

The coroner has said that the scope of the inquest would cover Mr Dymond's involvement with the ITV show and also his personal relationships.

Rachel Spearing, who has been appointed as counsel to the inquest, told a pre-inquest review in April that the coroner had ruled that the case would not be "a roving inquiry into the practices of reality television".

She said the inquest would primarily look at the circumstances of Mr Dymond's life between 14 March 2019 and 9 May 2019.

The inquest is taking place at Winchester Coroner's Court Credit: PA

Ms Spearing said: "The scope will review the deceased’s interaction with his GP and his acceptance and participation in the Jeremy Kyle Show.

"We will be reviewing Mr Dymond's participation in the show as far as it is relevant to his mental state including the lie detector and the aftercare provided and that involves the role of the production company and ITV."

Ms Spearing added that the inquest had been given access to footage from a Channel 4 documentary into Mr Dymond's death.

The coroner previously made Mr Kyle an interested person to the inquest because "he may have caused or contributed" to Mr Dymond's death.

Other interested persons named during the hearing were members of Mr Dymond's family, ITV and the deceased's GP.

The inquest is listed to last until 10 September.

Mental health help and support links:

  • Samaritans: Call on 116 123 or visit the website.

  • NHS 111: Non-emergency advice is available online (Only call 111 if you cannot get help online). People with hearing problems can use the NHS 111 British Sign Language (BSL) service.

  • MIND: Call 0300 123 3393 or find tips and support on its website. Mind information and support.

  • Shout: Confidential 24/7 crisis text support. Text "SHOUT" to 85258 or visit Shout Crisis Text Line.

  • Crisis Support For Young People: Under 35s. Call Papyrus's Hopeline UK from 9am to 10pm weekdays and 2pm to 10pm on weekends. 0800 068 41 41. Text 07786 209697 or visit the Papyrus website.

  • CALM: The Campaign Against Living Miserably, for people in the UK who are down or have hit a wall for any reason. Call 0800 58 58 58 (daily, 5pm to midnight). Free, anonymous webchat with trained staff or visit the CALM website.

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