William Chapman - latest: Neighbour says tiger attack victim had changed in his final months

William Chapman - latest: Neighbour says tiger attack victim had changed in his final months Former child actor William Chapman, 24, was killed after he jumped into the tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park - a neighbour has paid tribute and said he had recently become 'very approachable' The 24-year-old man mauled to death by a tiger after climbing into its enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park had changed in recent months to become "very approachable, very friendly", his neighbour said. William Chapman had struggled to speak people, but had begun to "bridge connections", said Josh Anderton, also 24. He said: "He was a lovely, lovely man". Mr Anderton spoke after an inquest opening heard Mr Chapman died from "multiple traumatic injuries" before details of his mental health troubles emerged. Doncaster Coroner's Court heard how his family had "expressed a number of concerns in relation to his contact with mental health services leading up to his death". He had a diagnosis of schizophrenia and suffered previous bouts of psychosis but was living independently. The coroner heard Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Trust had commissioned a Patient Safety Incident Investigation (PSII) to probe his contact with services. Mr Chapman who was a former child actor, filmed his last moments as he approached Altai, a Siberian tiger, five. He posted it online after entering the animals enclosure at the zoo in Doncaster. The inquest opening heard how he had scaled two fences to enter the pen. Mr Chapman's devastated family, who were not at the inquest opening, have said he was "bright, warm, and engaging". City of Doncaster Council has launched a health and safety investigation into Mr Chapman's death and the park remains closed for a sixth day. Key Events Tiger attack victim lived in flat five miles from wildlife park At the time of his death on Saturday, William Chapman was living in a one-bedroom, £120,000 flat less than five miles from Yorkshire Wildlife Park. The flat was located at Consort House on Waterdale, in the city centre of Doncaster. 'He was very responsible, we never saw that coming' Mirror reporter Dan Warburton has visited the street where Mr Chapman lived Josh Anderton, Mr Chapman's neighbour, described him as someone who "seemed normal" and spoke of his shock when he found out the 24-year-old had died. Mr Anderton said: "I saw him about a week before [his death]. I went from not seeing him at all to seeing him daily. He used to hold the door open for my partner all the time. "The last time I saw him he just seemed normal, he didn't seem out of his usual self. He lived alone, but I didn't go into his flat. He was a very individual person. "He started to bridge connections and everyone at the pub used to get on with him. He'd go in regularly, he'd have a pint of orange juice or perhaps a pint of John Smiths. He was very responsible." Josh added: "We had no idea what had happened we just knew someone had jumped into the tiger's enclosure. "But then we saw his face on the news. Me and my missus had just woken up and we looked at each other and said, 'What the f***'. "He seemed relatively stable-minded, so we never saw that coming." 'William was a lovely, lovely man - absolutely harmless' Mirror reporter Dan Warburton has visited the street where Mr Chapman lived At the time of Mr Chapman's death, he was living in a one-bedroom, £120,000 flat less than five miles from Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Josh Anderton, 24, moved in next door around four months ago and said Mr Chapman would spend time in the nearby Ballers Sports Bar. Josh, who lives with his girlfriend, said: "I knew William, I have been here about four to five months and William was already here. "I knew him from work, he was a lovely, lovely man. He was absolutely harmless. He definitely struggled with [mental health problems]. "For the first year in the pub he would come in and he would struggle to speak to people. He would come in and just linger and wouldn't speak. "But for the past six months he had become very approachable, very friendly. "He told me he used to be on a kids' TV show. We were walking to the bus stop and I was watching something on my phone when he said, 'Oh, I used to be on the TV'. "He loved his Formula One. All he'd ever speak about was F1." Trump's posts about tiger attack 'extremely distasteful' - Jacob Rees-Mogg Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg hit out at Donald Trump for posting insensitive videos after the tiger attack. In a first Truth Social post, the US President shared footage of William Chapman being attacked by the animal. The footage, which the Mirror has chosen not to share, was captioned "Don't ever mess with nature!". Just a minute later, the president posted a compilation video featuring AI-generated clips of people being mauled by lions and tigers, with an upbeat tune playing in the background. He then went on to post an AI-generated video of him fighting and then taming a tiger, with the clips appearing to mimic one of Mr Chapman's last moments. Speaking on GB News, Sir Rees-Mogg said: "Where does the line between dark humour, satire, and commentary end, and grace and decency begin? This seems to me to be extremely distasteful for the president to do it, but also this idea that it's something to laugh about. "It seems to me it all changed once we knew the name of the man. That when it was an unidentified person, it was a different type of story. "But once his name was in the press and you knew that he had a family and so on, joking about it just seemed to me to become a terrible thing to do. It changed it. "I'm not in favour of this particular video. I am otherwise rather a fan of Donald Trump's. But it appeals to his electoral base, and in a democracy you've got to appeal to that." Others who condemned Trump for his posts have included Piers Morgan and South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard. Injuries rapidly led to man's death William Chapman suffered multiple traumatic injuries as a result of his interaction with the Amur tiger, called Altai, at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday. His injuries rapidly led to his death and so he was pronounced deceased at the scene. The inquest opening this morning heard that Mr Chapman had a diagnosis of schizophrenia and suffered previous bouts of psychosis. The Mirror's Dan Warburton reports from Doncaster Coroner's Court... NHS trust commissions independent safety investigation after family's concerns over care Today's inquest opening has been told that the family of William Chapman raised concerns about the mental health care he was receiving prior to his death. Senior coroner for South Yorkshire East Nicola Mundy told the hearing that Mr Chapman's family confirmed he had a history of mental illness, a diagnosis of schizophrenia and had suffered bouts of psychosis. He was under the care of Doncaster Mental Health Services, which is run by Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH). The coroner told the hearing the Trust has commissioned an independent patient safety investigation. She said: "During my communications with Mr Chapman's family they confirmed he had a history of mental illness, a diagnosis of schizophrenia and had suffered previous bouts of psychosis and was under the care of Doncaster Mental Health Services. "Despite his diagnosis Mr Chapman was highly functioning and independent. His family have expressed a number of concerns in relation to his contact with mental health services leading up to his death." Previously, Mr Chapman's family said in a statement that he "suffered from significant mental illness over a number of years and was consequently prescribed strong medication". "It will be for the coroner to decide what part this played in his death," they said. Inquest cause of death tiered structure explained This morning, we heard from Doncaster Coroner's Court that William Chapman's provisional cause of death has been given as 1a multiple traumatic injuries and 1b animal interaction. These were established by a doctor following a post-mortem examination. The "1a" element is the immediate cause of death, meaning that it specifies the disease, injury or complication that directly resulted in death, in this case, traumatic injuries. The "1b" element is the underlying cause of 1a, meaning that it represents the event that directly caused 1a, in this case, the interaction with the tiger. More details from the post-mortem report are usually revealed during the full inquest, which has been scheduled for March 2027. NHS trust approached for comment Mirror Online has approached Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust for comment regarding Mr Chapman's mental health treatment there and the concerns his family raised about this prior to his death. Final inquest hearing date set An inquest date has been set for March 18 next year. The coroner said: "One final matter I will mention is that the inquest has been listed for the 18th of March. The venue may well be different, I am currently in temporary accommodation, which is why the court hearing has been conducted here." Today's inquest opening has now concluded. Safety investigation launched by trust after family's care concerns Mrs Brookes said Mr Chapman's family had raised "specific concerns" about his care and "his contacts with mental health services". The coroner heard Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Trust had commissioned a Patient Safety Incident Investigation (PSII) to probe his contact with services. That will likely be welcomed by Mr Chapman's family, who have said they "are hopeful that the relevant authorities will do their upmost to get to the bottom of why our amazing son did what he did". His family said he had suffered from "significant mental illness over a number of years" and was given "strong medication". The hearing has been adjourned so a full investigation into the circumstances of Mr Chapman's death could be carried out. Doncaster City Council will also conduct a health and safety investigation, the court has heard. The coroner's officer has been asked to contact Yorkshire Wildlife Park to ensure any CCTV is obtained. She has also been asked to find out if Mr Chapman attended Yorkshire Wildlife Park previously. 'Diagnosed with schizophrenia but living independently' The inquest heard that Mr Chapman's family provided a letter confirming he had "history of mental illness" and had suffered episodes of "psychosis and schizophrenia". Coroner's officer Caitlin Brookes said Mr Chapman was receiving treatment from Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Trust. But she confirmed he was "highly functioning", lived independently and "had no care requirements". Exact causes of death revealed A post-mortem examination has been carried out by Dr Karzai, who has given a provisional cause of death as 1A multiple traumatic injuries and 1B animal interaction. A full report will be provided during the final hearing of the inquest when proceedings resume. Victim climbed two fences to enter tiger enclosure Mirror reporter Dan Warburton is reporting live from Doncaster Coroner's Court... Tiger death victim William Chapman died of "multiple traumatic injuries" at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, an inquest heard today. Mr Chapman filmed his last moments as he approached Altai, a Siberian tiger aged five, and posted it online after entering its lair in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Witnesses saw the big cat maul him while a woman had tried to hold Mr Chapman back as he entered the enclosure shortly after 1.30pm on Saturday. Opening the hearing today, senior coroner for South Yorkshire Nicola Mundy said: "I will be looking at the broad circumstances of Mr Chapman's death." The inquest heard that Mr Chapman "climbed two fences and entered the tiger enclosure". The hearing was told that he was "encountered by a tiger" and "there was physical contact between Mr Chapman and the tiger". He is said to have sustained "multiple traumatic injuries". Family declined to attend The coroner has told the hearing that William Chapman's family have declined to attend the inquest opening. Ms Mundy said: "Interested persons, including family members, are aware the inquest would be opened today but declined to attend." Inquest opened The coroner said: "It is October 15, 2026, and this morning and I am formally opening the inquest into the death of William Harry Bruce Chapman. "This is a formal court hearing to formally open the investigation that is going to follow my direction." Coroner in the room The coroner has now entered the hearing room and the inquest opening will start. Room full ahead of inquest opening The room at Doncaster Civic Building is filled with members of the press. Name of coroner confirmed Senior coroner for South Yorkshire East Nicola Mundy will preside over the opening this morning. Inquest due to start shortly The inquest opening for William Chapman is due to start shortly, with the hearing at Doncaster Coroner's Court scheduled for 10am. The short hearing will last just a few minutes, with coroner for South Yorkshire East Nicola Mundy expected to confirm details, such as the name, date of birth and age of the deceased, their address, date and place of death, and provisional cause of death, if one has been established by a pathologist. According to the inquests list on the City of Doncaster Council website, Mr Chapman's full name was William Harry Bruce Chapman. Today's hearing will be adjourned by the coroner until a later date and will resume once all other investigations have been completed. Family's tribute to 'bright, warm young man' The family of William Chapman have released a statement talking about their "utter devastation" following his death. They said: "William was a bright, warm and engaging young man whom his family dearly loved - and William loved them back. "Sadly, William suffered from significant mental illness over a number of years and was consequently prescribed strong medication. "It will be for the coroner to decide what part this played in his death. We would ask everybody to respect that process. The family are utterly devastated by their loss and are struggling to come to terms with what has happened. "The publication and circulation of deeply offensive media content is causing them severe distress at an exceptionally vulnerable time. We ask people to stop doing this." School's tribute to William Chapman Among the latest tributes made to William Chapman was one from his former school - Jackie Palmer Stage School. The child actor starred in the ITV production May Contain Nuts alongside Shirley Henderson, best known for playing Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter films, as well as playing Edward Jenner as a young boy in the BBC series True Stories. The school said: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our former student, William Chapman. "Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with William's family and friends during this incredibly difficult time. "We loved watching William grow, both as a person and as a performer, during his time with us. "It was a privilege to be part of his journey, and he will be remembered with great fondness by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. "William will be truly missed, and he will always hold a special place in our hearts. "Rest in peace, William." The tribute was accompanied by two black and white pictures, one featuring Mr Chapman recently and one from when he was a Jackie Palmer student as a child. What will happen at William Chapman's inquest opening today? Formal start: The coroner will formally open the investigation into Mr Chapman's death. Basic details recorded: The coroner will formally records the identity of the deceased, the date and place of death, and the medical cause of death. Adjournment: The hearing is usually adjourned (postponed) to a later date to allow time for full police reports, post-mortem results, and further evidence to be gathered. Attendance: The bereaved family and press are allowed to attend but it is not necessary for family members to be present. 'I tried to look away but I couldn't' A woman who was at Yorkshire Wildlife Park when the tragedy unfolded says she noticed William Chapman pacing around before he entered the toger's enclosure. Ella Ford, 24, said: "It's all a bit of a blur. I tried to look away but I couldn't. I just remember hearing people say 'Oh my God.' "Everyone was trying to get their kids away because they knew what was about to happen." Recalling the horrific incident, Ella said Mr Chapman climbed into the habitat and crawled towards a tiger resting nearby. She said her boyfriend saw Mr Chapman take out his phone and move towards the animal. Yorkshire Wildlife Park closed for sixth day The Yorkshire Wildlife Park remains closed today (Thursday). A post on the zoo's website reads: "We can confirm that a serious incident has occurred on Saturday at the tiger enclosure. "Our emergency response procedures were immediately activated, and emergency services attended the scene. "The park will be closed today whilst we are working closely with the authorities. The Yorkshire Hive will remain open as usual. The safety and wellbeing of our visitors, staff and animals remain our highest priority." 'It was not possible to get there before the visitor was injured and subsequently died' Dr Campbell Murn, a lecturer in Conservation Science at the University of Reading, explained that despite UK zoos having to follow set regulations for enclosure designs, incidents like the one on Saturday cannot be eliminated. The expert, who is also a former member of the government's expert committee for zoos, said: "There’s an enormous amount of effort that goes into the securing of public safety for people who are visiting zoos, in addition to the weight that's given to animal welfare in those settings as well. "So it's certainly something that is a very big and integral part of the zoo standards in this country." Dr Murn added that staff at zoos which house dangerous wild animals are trained in emergency responses, explaining that he does not believe the incident at Yorkshire Wildlife Park was a result of a safety failure. Rather, he believes "it was not possible to get there before the visitor was injured and subsequently died". The expert said sophisticated enclosures that make it more difficult for unauthorised people to enter them "would minimise or reduce the risk, but it's never going to truly eliminate it". He said: "Even the most elaborate enclosure, if they really want to get in, they’re going to find a way". Recap of William Chapman's family's statement William Chapman's family released a statement yesterday evening through South Yorkshire Police. The family said: "William was a bright, warm and engaging young man whom his family dearly loved - and William loved them back. "Sadly, William suffered from significant mental illness over a number of years and was consequently prescribed strong medication. "It will be for the coroner to decide what part this played in his death. We would ask everybody to respect that process. "The family are utterly devastated by their loss and are struggling to come to terms with what has happened. "The publication and circulation of deeply offensive media content is causing them severe distress at an exceptionally vulnerable time. We ask people to stop doing this. "The family are hopeful that the relevant authorities will do their utmost to get to the bottom of why our amazing son did what he did. "In the meantime, please do not approach the family, their addresses, or scrape any further social media from William’s or his family’s accounts." The role of a Coroners Officer The Coroners Officers, on behalf of the Coroner, obtain and record details of all unexpected, unnatural and violent deaths, reported from various informants. They liaise with interested parties, organise Post Mortem examinations and inform parties of the results. Prepare and issue relevant documents to allow families to get on with their registration and funeral ceremonies. Where required, the Coroners Officer will open investigations including inquests ensuring appropriate documentation is completed. The Coroners officers also conduct identified lines of enquiries, obtaining reports and statements from witnesses, clinicians and outside agencies. Coroners’ officers prepare files for Court, warn identified witnesses of attendance at Court and running Coronial Court hearings. Ancillary duties include dealing with Pathological samples, carrying out identification procedures liaising with foreign Governmental Departments, Advocates and family representative. Doncaster Coroners Court staff While the coroner sitting on Mr Chapman's inquest opening this morning has not been confirmed publicly yet, the council website lists the below staff and judicial teams for Doncaster Coroners Court. Senior Coroner: Ms Nicola Mundy Area Coroner: Mrs Louise Slater Assistant Coroners: - Ms Georgina Gibbs - Mr Ian Mullarkey - Mr Matt Stanbury - Mr Simon Tait - Mrs A Combes - Ms Elizabeth Wheeler Coroners Officers - David Haries Senior Coroners Officer - Frank Martin - Siobhan Golightly - Jane McDonnell - Scarlett Harrison - Caitlin Brookes - Debbie Gault - Lynda Loftus (Listings Officer) Where is the inquest opening? The inquest opening is due to take place at Doncaster Coroner's Court. On the Inquest listings on the council website it states the hearing will take place in the Coroners Court, Civic Building. The coroner sitting for the 10am hearing has not yet been publicly confirmed. What happens at an inquest opening? Formal start: It is a brief, procedural public hearing where the coroner formally opens the investigation into the death. Basic details recorded: The coroner formally records the identity of the deceased, the date and place of death, and the medical cause of death (if known at that stage). Adjournment: The hearing is almost immediately adjourned (postponed) to a later date to allow time for full police reports, post-mortem results, and further evidence to be gathered. Attendance: The bereaved family and press are allowed to attend, though it is not necessary for family members to be present.