'I'm free from this living hell': Haunting last words of man who took his own life after fake rape claim... as police finally investigate accuser

A man accused of rape killed himself after police refused to believe that texts on his phone proved the sex had been consensual.

The accuser is now being investigated for perverting the course of justice, following an inquest at which a coroner said Ross Bullock, 38, took his own life because of the ‘distress’ caused by the allegation.

After his arrest in March 2015, Mr Bullock was questioned by police and bailed for a month despite showing them text messages that strongly suggested he was innocent. Even when officers decided against action, he was warned he could be charged at a later date. Finally, after a ‘year of torment’, Mr Bullock hanged himself in the garage of the family home, leaving a note revealing he had ‘hit rock bottom’ and that with his death ‘I’m free from this living hell’.

His body was found by his mother Carole. His father Ronald, 76, said: ‘Ross would still be alive now if the police had dealt with the allegation sensitively.’ And Mrs Bullock, 74, added: ‘The allegation changed Ross as a person. He cut himself off.’

The Mail on Sunday has previously reported a series of cases that have exposed grave police failings over rape accusations.

Mr Bullock’s parents may now take civil action against West Mercia Police and are calling for the accuser – who was in a relationship with another man when she and Ross had sex – to be charged. Police confirmed they are investigating an allegation of perverting the course of justice.

Mr Bullock, a forklift truck driver from Redditch, Worcestershire, met his accuser in February 2015 and they had sex at his workplace. The pair shared dozens of flirtatious texts afterwards.

In one exchange, Mr Bullock said: ‘Well I hope u had a good time.’ The woman replied: ‘It was alright I suppose!! X.’

magica wrote:Being accused of rape when innocent is a hard cross to bear. He wasn't weak, just desperate, maybe very depressed. No matter the outcome, fingers would always point at him.

Yes the women should be in prison for lying.

eddie wrote:

magica wrote:Being accused of rape when innocent is a hard cross to bear. He wasn't weak, just desperate, maybe very depressed. No matter the outcome, fingers would always point at him.

Yes the women should be in prison for lying.

People can get over things if they want to. He should’ve given himself some time.  Suicide is cowardly and weak in most, not all, cases.

eddie wrote:

magica wrote:Being accused of rape when innocent is a hard cross to bear. He wasn't weak, just desperate, maybe very depressed. No matter the outcome, fingers would always point at him.

Yes the women should be in prison for lying.

People can get over things if they want to. He should’ve given himself some time.  Suicide is cowardly and weak in most, not all, cases.

Syl wrote:Not everyone can get over the horrible things that have happened to them.
Some do, some live with it and are never the same again, some cant get over it, some people prefer to end their lives than carry on living with the horror, hurt, depression, whatever their situation is.

I know of three people who committed suicide, one jumped after she found her husband was a paedophile, one set fire to herself in the bath after suffering years of illness and depression.
The other was long ago, a teacher at the school I attended.

All left behind unimaginable hurt, but I cant say any of them were cowards or selfish in the circumstances.

eddie wrote:That’s what I just said. People get over things with time.
Suicide is entirely a selfish act.

nicko wrote:Try living with never ending pain day after day, month after month, year after year with no hope of ever being free of it. Pain killers that mess your mind up that sometimes you don't know who you are or what the fuck your doing. people who are sound in body and mind saying "get over it" don't have a fucking clue and until they'v experienced living,[living, that's a joke]withit should keep their opinions to them selves cause they don't have a fucking clue !

nicko wrote:Thank you Magica,  it takes a lot of guts to commit suicide,   up to now Iv thought about it many times, but I can't leave my Wife of 57 years,  [or my Cat, of 12]

nicko wrote:Quill you don't know what your talking about till you'v experienced it.     Your another one of the "get over it " type !

nicko wrote:Try living with never ending pain day after day, month after month, year after year with no hope of ever being free of it. Pain killers that mess your mind up that sometimes you don't know who you are or what the fuck your doing. people who are sound in body and mind saying "get over it" don't have a fucking clue and until they'v experienced living,[living, that's a joke]withit should keep their opinions to them selves cause they don't have a fucking clue !

Original Quill wrote:

nicko wrote:Thank you Magica,  it takes a lot of guts to commit suicide,   up to now Iv thought about it many times, but I can't leave my Wife of 57 years,  [or my Cat, of 12]

I'll always remember what my mother taught me: suicide is a coward's exit.

Syl wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

I'll always remember what my mother taught me: suicide is a coward's exit.

I think someone has to be quite brave to know they are about to kill themselves...its so final.

Syl wrote:Maybe he got sick of people judging him.
When someone is accused of rape, mud sticks....no smoke without fire etc....people are very quick to judge others.
The woman lied through her teeth, but as her name remains private (for now at least) she can carry on regardless.

eddie wrote:

Syl wrote:Maybe he got sick of people judging him.
When someone is accused of rape, mud sticks....no smoke without fire etc....people are very quick to judge others.
The woman lied through her teeth, but as her name remains private (for now at least) she can carry on regardless.

I never said it was fair.

My point is that life is fucking tough but it’s also a gift. To throw it away over something someone else said - accusation or not - is just unforgivable.

I’m sorry, I have no time for suicides like this one.

Original Quill wrote:

Syl wrote:

I think someone has to be quite brave to know they are about to kill themselves...its so final.

A final escape.  I think my mother didn't like the idea of escaping, as opposed to turning and facing it head on.

Syl wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

A final escape.  I think my mother didn't like the idea of escaping, as opposed to turning and facing it head on.

Your mum sounds like my mum....tough and able to cope no matter what crap life throws your way.
Not all people have that same sort of coping mechanism, and not all people are terminally ill or live with endless pain, be it mental or physical.

Original Quill wrote:

Syl wrote:

Your mum sounds like my mum....tough and able to cope no matter what crap life throws your way.
Not all people have that same sort of coping mechanism, and not all people are terminally ill or live with endless pain, be it mental or physical.

Yet, who do we want the world to turn to for leadership when times are rough?  Your mum and my mum, that's who.  I understand the difficulties...  At times like those, it's not facts, but inspiration, that one needs.  

eddie wrote:

nicko wrote:Try living with never ending pain day after day, month after month, year after year with no hope of ever being free of it. Pain killers that mess your mind up that sometimes you don't know who you are or what the fuck your doing. people who are sound in body and mind saying "get over it" don't have a fucking clue and until they'v experienced living,[living, that's a joke]withit should keep their opinions to them selves cause they don't have a fucking clue !

Well, I did say most, not all cases. I think assisted suicide when people are terminally ill is a good and kind thing.

This is different. He was accused of something, he was innocent and so he decided to kill himself? I’m sorry, I think that’s a poor and wholly selfish thing to do.
It was an accusation, he was found to be innocent, so why kill himself? I’m betting he had other mental health issues because I can’t see why he’d have taken his life otherwise.

eddie wrote:

Syl wrote:Maybe he got sick of people judging him.
When someone is accused of rape, mud sticks....no smoke without fire etc....people are very quick to judge others.
The woman lied through her teeth, but as her name remains private (for now at least) she can carry on regardless.

I never said it was fair.

My point is that life is fucking tough but it’s also a gift. To throw it away over something someone else said - accusation or not - is just unforgivable.

I’m sorry, I have no time for suicides like this one.

Syl wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

Yet, who do we want the world to turn to for leadership when times are rough?  Your mum and my mum, that's who.  I understand the difficulties...  At times like those, it's not facts, but inspiration, that one needs.  

That's true Quill.

But not everyone is cut out or wants to be a leader, and who knows how they would act anyway if they were suddenly faced with unbearable pain?
Plus...even leaders have been known to commit suicide rather than face what life is throwing at them.

Raggamuffin wrote:

eddie wrote:

Syl wrote:Maybe he got sick of people judging him.
When someone is accused of rape, mud sticks....no smoke without fire etc....people are very quick to judge others.
The woman lied through her teeth, but as her name remains private (for now at least) she can carry on regardless.

I never said it was fair.

My point is that life is fucking tough but it’s also a gift. To throw it away over something someone else said - accusation or not - is just unforgivable.

I’m sorry, I have no time for suicides like this one.

It wasn't just over what someone else said though was it? It was an accusation of a crime which carries a prison sentence, and it was done to try to ruin his life. Who are you to say that he shouldn't be forgiven? It wasn't your life was it?

Raggamuffin wrote:Maybe if the police had said straight away that there was clearly no case, and they had charged the woman with wasting police time or some such charge at the time, this poor man might be alive today.

It's not enough to just say they won't be charging him. There should have been no question of them charging him in the first place, and there was no reason to arrest him either.