Warning: This article contains references to suicide 

CLOSING arguments were given in the trial of an autistic Bradford man charged with encouraging a teenage girl to die by suicide.

Christopher Ballard, 43, of Clayton Road, Bradford, a shift worker at a plastics factory, sent a flurry of emails and WhatsApp messages to 14-year-old Gina Van Houten after she wrote of her intention to take her own life on the ForumJar site, a post which was titled “Suicide pact Netherlands”.

Gina, who lived in Amsterdam, was found dead in her home on March 28, 2018.

On day three of the trial at Bradford Crown Court, Ballard’s defence solicitor Nick Johnson read out good character references from his parents.

His mother Jacqueline Ballard said: “About Chris, he’s a happy go-lucky man but he doesn’t have any close friends. He can get lost in his games, but there is not a bad bone in his body."

His father Walter Ballard said his son was “hard-working” since he left school at age 16.

He said: “He stays on his computer games for hours, but he’d never do anything to harm anyone.”

Before hearing the closing speeches, the judge, Honourable Justice Mrs Lambert DBE instructed the jury consider all of the evidence including that given by expert, forensic psychologist Dr Harry Wood, who said in his report that Ballard “suffers from autism spectrum disorder (ASD)”.

In his closing speech, prosecutor James Bourne-Arton KC told the jury: “Was he capable of encouraging Gina Van Houtey to commit suicide and did he intend for her to commit suicide based on those messages?

“Those messages certainly were not trying to stop Gina from committing suicide.

“He suggested suicide methods.

“If that doesn’t encourage someone to commit suicide, I don’t know what does. His intention was to encourage her.

“Do you believe it was role play? The (suicide pact) post was not on some fantasy website where you play games.

“Why start the conversation in the first place? Why speak about methods of suicide?

“I appreciate he is on the autism spectrum, but it doesn’t remove his capability of understanding.”

Addressing the reasons why Ballard lied to police in two interviews, Mr Bourne-Arton said: “He lied because he had no better explanation. He knew he was guilty. That’s what frightened him.”

In the defence’s closing speech, Mr Johnson said: “Ask yourself ‘why is autism relevant’? The underlying issue with ASD is that people with it are less likely to understand. He might miss signs in a conversation that you or I may notice.

“The defendant also has difficulty with social communication. He likes to role play rather than struggling with real life and trying to fit in.

“Mr Ballard wasn’t treating it as a genuine suicide pact. He was playing a character.”

“Nobody knew Gina was in such a place that she would do what she did.

“Chris also is of good character and no previous criminal convictions.

“Can you be sure he intended to encourage her to commit suicide? If not, the proper verdict is not guilty.”

The trial continues.

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