British factory worker, 42, accused of helping Dutch girl, 14, kill herself dressed up as Star Wars characters for conventions and once played online game for 28 hours straight, court hears

A British factory worker accused of assisting a 14 year old Dutch girl in killing herself, enjoyed dressing up as Star Wars characters for conventions, a court has heard.

Christopher Ballard told a jury that he believed the teenage girl's messages to him about taking her own life was her 'pretend role play'.

The 43-year-old from Bradford, West Yorkshire, began chatting to Gina Van Houten over email and WhatsApp, after she posted her intention to take her own life on the ForumJar site.

He denies encouraging or assisting her suicide and told a jury 'I thought this person was joking around.'

Bradford Crown Court heard Ballard also attended Comic Con conventions where he dressed up as characters such as Jar Jar Binks and a Stormtrooper from Star Wars.

'I love role playing and being a character,' he told the court.

Gina, who lived in Amsterdam, posted her first message on February 15, 2018.

Under the title 'Suicide pact Netherlands' it read: 'Hi, my name is Gina. I am a 14-year-old female and I am planning to commit suicide. I would rather do it with someone else than alone. I am asking if you are willing to do it with me.'

Ballard, a shift worker at a plastics factory who claimed he worked in a hospital and had access to drugs, was in contact with the teenager between February 17 and March 3.

Gina was found dead in the bathroom of her home by her mother on March 28.

Nick Johnson KC, representing Ballard, read out a report by forensic psychologist Dr Harry Wood, who described him as having 'average intelligence' but 'revealed he had deficits in social communication in the way he expressed himself due to autism'.

When Mr Johnson called Ballard to the stand, he told the court that he sent the messages in 2018 but denied encouraging Gina to die by suicide.

He said: 'To me, I thought it was pretend role play.'

When Mr Johnson asked how he felt when he found out the girl had taken her own life, Ballard said: 'It's such a tragic loss. It's sad, isn't it.'

Ballard, who had relationships with two women, admitted to having difficulty with 'face to face communication' and preferred texting instead.

Ballard talked about how he enjoyed gaming, 'mainly role playing games' and online games such as Lineage 2 where he interacted with other online gamers.

'You'd adopt a character and role play in a fantasy scenario. I usually played eight hours a day, sometimes more. Once I played 28 hours non-stop.'

Ballard called the games a 'getaway from life'.

After Gina posted her first message on the ForumJar website on February 15, 2018, under the title 'Suicide pact Netherlands', Ballard said: 'I didn't think it was a genuine request. I thought it was somebody who wanted to role play.'

When quizzed about how he suggested two methods of suicide to Gina, Ballard said he had Googled information about suicides because he said he was 'building up and staying in character'.

And when the pair discussed travelling to Amsterdam and meeting up, Ballard said he never had any intention to travel but added: 'It's important to keep the fantasy real. I get a kick out of it.'

In cross examination, prosecutor James Bourne-Arton asked if it was 'easy to tell the difference between fantasy and real life, which Ballard replied: 'It depends.'

When asked by Mr Bourne-Acton what he thought about Gina's initial 'suicide pact' post, Ballard said: 'I thought this person was joking around and it was a role play.'

But in two interviews with police, one after he was arrested at his home on September 28, 2020, and another 18 months later, Ballard admitted lying to police officers about details in relation to his online and WhatsApp communications with Gina.

Mr Bourne-Acton also asked: 'Did you not think to tell police the truth?'

Ballard said: 'I was petrified and scared. It was a terrible experience. I just wanted to get out of there.'

Mr Bourne-Acton asked: 'Did you realise what you did was wrong?'

Ballard replied: 'I was just messaging her. I never intended to encourage her or anybody to commit suicide.'

The trial continues.