ITV under fire for holding on to documents surrounding death of Steve Dymond after Jeremy Kyle show appearance

LAWYERS representing the family of Steve Dymond - who died after filming a Jeremy Kyle episode - have launched an attack on ITV for failing to show a number of documents to relatives.
Steve Dymond and his funeral in Portsmouth 
Picture: Jordan Pettitt/Solent News & Photo AgencySteve Dymond and his funeral in Portsmouth 
Picture: Jordan Pettitt/Solent News & Photo Agency
Steve Dymond and his funeral in Portsmouth Picture: Jordan Pettitt/Solent News & Photo Agency

Barrister Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC told Portsmouth Coroner’s Court that ‘the odds were stacked against her clients’ as a number of documents referred to in reports had not been seen by Mr Dymond’s brother and his cousin, Gerald Brierley - who appeared at the inquest via Skype videolink.Ms Gallagher said: ‘My clients are concerned that this is a case of ITV marking their own homework.‘The family feel very much on the sidelines.’Dad-of-one Mr Dymond, 63, of Grafton Street, Buckland, was found dead in his rented room just seven days after failing a lie detector test while filming for ITV’s The Jeremy Kyle Show with his ex-partner Jane Callaghan who accused him of cheating.A number of messages including a WhatsApp message from a researcher to a producer about Mr Dymond’s welfare – after the episode was recorded on May 2 – were referred to by ITV in relation to the inquest but not shown to the family.Ms Gallagher told the court that a researcher said Mr Dymond was ‘really upset and said life is nothing without Jane and words to the effect of “I wish I was dead”.’She questioned whether if this information was referred to in the WhatsApp message and that the message should be disclosed in court.The court requested a number of documents to be disclosed by ITV including the WhatsApp message, a behavioural test and results completed by Mr Dymond and a risk assessment.It was also requested by the family’s lawyers that another pre-inquest review hearing take place at the end of November to give the legal team a chance to review the documents.Representing ITV, Mr Simon Antrobus said: ‘We have had no request for disclosure until I received this document before the inquest.‘ITV are concerned of the inquest being adjourned on an indefinite basis.’Ms Gallagher told Coroner Lincoln Brookes that the other parties, Mr Dymond’s GP surgery and Southern Health NHS Trust, had not objected to the current inquest date in November become a ‘fresh pre inquest review’.Speaking at the inquest Mr Antrobus said ITV ‘was neutral on that point’ and left the decision up to the coroner.Another pre-inquest review has been arranged for November 21 and the inquest has been scheduled for April 27 to April 30 next year.

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