Dog muck taunts led to transsexual suicide

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Abuse from neighbours led a transsexual recluse to hang herself, an inquest heard today.

Daily jibes from other residents, combined with emotional issues she was suffering from due to a sex change, left 46 year old Karen Buckley too scared to leave her own home.

Police found her hanging from a pole last November, 24 hours after a series of suicide notes had been found in her flat, corridor, emails to her housing officer and an enveloped marked Police which was left at the Post Office.

The inquest was told Miss Buckley had previously complained about constant abuse from a female neighbour who would tease her regarding her gender and put dog food through her window.

Miss Buckley had been reported missing after a female neighbour found a suicide note in the corridor outside her flat, police officers broke into her flat where they found more copies of the note.

A GP report concluded Miss Buckley had lost the ability to deal with social situations after gender realignment treatment in 1978.

Her housing officer, Susan Wilson said she only ever communicated with the unemployed woman through the door of her flat while she posted things to her through the letterbox.

She said: “She lived as a recluse but she was very matter of fact about things and if she had something to say she would just tell me about it, not whine on about it.

“It was a great shock when I went into work on that Monday and read the e-mails.”

Coroner Joanna Pratt recorded a verdict of suicide.

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