Beloved teacher, 38, took his own life after vile homophobic abuse

The parents of a beloved teacher have paid heartfelt tribute to their son after an inquest heard he took his own life following 'vile homophobic abuse' from an obsessed stalker.

Simon Cremen, 38, was found dead by a friend on the evening of June 6, 2021. Prior to his death, he had been the victim of a sickening campaign of abuse by Darren Capers, who was later convicted of stalking him and jailed for four years.

His parents have said they were left 'distraught' at the death of their son, who attended Manchester University, after Coroner Paul Smith delivered a conclusion of suicide at an inquest on Friday (July 28), reports GrimsbyLive.

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At the inquest into his death held at Grimsby Town Hall, his family said Simon's smile 'made everyone else smile'. Following the hearing, Simon's parents, Sandra and Vince, recalled happy memories of their son. Having graduated from Manchester University in 2004 with a teaching degree, Simon worked in a high school before switching professions to banking. He became a branch manager for the Halifax and worked all over the country.

Simon had a passion for maths, loved his job and was well-liked by his colleagues, the hearing heard. He took a great interest in raising money for charities through his role in the bank and raised thousands of pounds for the LGBTQ+ community during this time.

However, after struggling with his mental health, Simon left Halifax. In 2019, he joined John Whitgift Academy, in Grimsby, as a maths teacher. Here, he excelled, taking any opportunity he could to get students interested in maths.

His mum Sandra said: "He loved his job and if any student had any problems they'd