US gamer 'alerted police to city murder suspect'

A JURY heard how British police were alerted to the alleged murder of a Plymouth woman after an American gamer became suspicious of her son’s online behaviour.

- CARL EVE

The trial of Callum Thomas, accused of murdering his mother, Debra Cantrell, sometime between May 5 and May 31 last year, has begun at Plymouth Crown Court.

Thomas, aged 33 and of no fixed abode, has denied the charge, but last week pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility.

The heard from prosecutor Anna Vigars KC, who revealed that in the early hours of May 31 police were contacted by a computer gamer in the US, who explained he had spent a considerable amount of time playing World War Two games online with Thomas and they would have conversations, forming a kind of friendship.

On occasion, Thomas would go offline for a few weeks, but would return and they would continue their online gaming. The jury heard Thomas would occasionally say things which made the gamer wonder about his mental health, such as that he heard “voices” and would not use YouTube or Google because he did not want people to have information about him.

The US gamer later told police Thomas appeared to show signs of paranoia and would talk about his relationship with his mother, claiming sometimes it was “tolerable” and other times it was “strained.” He also suggested Thomas had issues “with anger”.