On Saturday, a man is believed to have taken his own life on the M4 outside Bristol. He had been recently arrested due to accusations made by a self-claimed “online child protection team” on social media. According to Avon and Somerset police, previous contact with the deceased led to a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The man’s death occurred around 6.40 pm on Saturday.

It has been reported that an online group accused the man of engaging in sexual activities with what he believed was a child during a livestreamed video. Subsequently, he was arrested and released on police bail on Saturday without facing any charges. The group involved in the alleged sting has removed the livestreamed video and has asked for respect and privacy for the deceased’s family.

An inquest into the man’s death will be held at a later date. Avon and Somerset police have stated that the death is not considered suspicious and the deceased’s next of kin are being provided support during this difficult time. They have also asked the public not to speculate during this time and to respect the family’s privacy. The Guardian has reached out to the online group and the IOPC for further comments.

In a statement, the police added, “We would ask people not to speculate during this time and to respect the family’s privacy.” The National Suicide Prevention Helpline contact information is provided for individuals in the UK, Ireland, the US, and Australia, while other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/feb/25/man-who-died-on-m4-had-been-accused-online-by-child-protection-team