The sociopath next door: Jeering crowd took selfies and goaded suicidal man to his death

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The man, aged in his 40s, was reportedly encouraged to leap from the top of the multi-storey car park outside Southwater Shopping Centre in Telford, Shropshire (above), by a crowd who shouted: 'Get on with and jump'

A suicidal man was told by a jeering crowd to 'get on with it and jump' as he perched at the top of a multi-storey car park before plunging to his death, witnesses claim.

The man, aged in his 40s, was reportedly encouraged to leap from the top of the car park outside Southwater Shopping Centre in Telford, Shropshire, on Saturday afternoon.

He spent more than two hours at the top of the building, during which time a crowd gathered in the car park below.

Witnesses have now revealed how some members of the public shouted taunts such as 'Get on with it', 'Go on, jump,' and 'How far can you bounce?'. Others took selfies at the scene on their mobile phones and recorded video footage of the incident.

West Mercia Police said the force had been notified about witnesses taking photos of themselves with the man in the background before uploading them to social media websites.

The force condemned the 'appalling' actions of the crowd and warned those who 'distastefully' uploaded photos that they could be investigated and prosecuted.

Witness Kelly-Anne Taylor, 35, from Telford, said: 'People were recording it with their phones and yelling at him to jump. 'I can't stop thinking about it. I was up town when it was happening and how much I wish I could have tried to help him. 'I am so heartbroken for him and his family. Onlookers were yelling at him to jump.'

'I am so disappointed in the actions of some of our citizens during a time of crisis. I am so incredibly sad for him.'

'I work in town and I am going to find it hard to be up there every day.'

Another witness, Kelly Porter-Smith, 20, added: 'I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was disgusted at their actions.'

'Some of them were fully grown men, and should have known better.' 'It made me ashamed to be from Telford. I cannot understand how people can be so evil.'

Rosie Brown, 44, from Wellington, Shropshire, added: 'The people were goading the man to jump.'

'May you or any member of your family and friends never reach a point in your life where you reach a dark place and the only option you feel will make the pain go away is to end it. Never judge until you have walked in those shoes.'

Officers were called to the scene outside the busy shopping center at about 1pm on Saturday.

Despite attempts by specialist negotiators to talk the man down, he plunged to his death from the roof of the car park at 3.40pm.

West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detective Sergeant Mark O'Connor, from West Mercia Police, warned that officers would investigate anyone who took photos or videos of the incident.

He said: 'Following the tragic incident at the multi-storey car park at Southwater on Saturday, it has been brought to our attention of the distasteful and disrespectful actions and comments upon social media at the time and subsequent to the incident.

'We do not condone such behaviour, and would hope that the local community would work with our officers to provide information regarding those who committed the cruel taunts, this was clearly someone who was in need of support.

'In response to the activity on social media, the origin of any comments or material that is deemed to be unlawful will be investigated and appropriate police action will be taken against any identified individual.

'I would urge that any person who is in possession of any related material does not publish it any further and ensure it is disposed of. We would remind those to be respectful and think of the family and friends at this sad time.'

Inspector Ben Smith, from the West Mercia Police's operational control centre, said he was shocked by the sickening comments hurled at the victim. He said: 'Obviously we would certainly not be supportive of that kind of behaviour. It is pretty appalling because it is someone who is clearly in need of support and assistance. That behaviour is something we would condemn.'

'Clearly what that individual needed was time and space and a professional to help them out.'

'The individual would have been in need of care and support and appropriate intervention from medical professionals, so anything like that to encourage someone to jump should be unequivocally condemned.'

The car park was shut for several hours while police dealt with the incident.

A spokesman for Telford & Wrekin Council, which owns the site, said: 'Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man who died at Southwater. On the upper tier of the car park there is perimeter fencing approximately six feet high which is topped with security wire.'