A SCOUT leader took his own life after he was accused of sexually assaulting two teen girls, an inquest heard.
Phillip Perks, 55, was discovered in a storage unit at a Penarth and District Scouts (PADSAC) hut in Wales on March 14, 2022.
He had been released on bail a day earlier following an arrest over historic sexual abuse allegations.
The inquest was told two women, now in their 30s, claimed Perks had assaulted them when they were both aged 16 and in the Scouts.
Following his death, the alleged victims accused the organisation of trying to silence them and raised concerns about safeguarding procedures.
They have since launched a civil claim against the Scouts.
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South Wales Central Coroner's Court heard Perks was arrested at his home in Dinas Powys on March 12.
The dad returned home the following the morning after being quizzed by officers.
His wife told the court Perks spoke to her and apologised but gave no sign he planned to harm himself before leaving their home.
He first visited a fellow Scout leader's house to return equipment, documents and keys.
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Perks told the leader he was taking time away due to complaints made against him.
His body was later discovered in the Scout storage hut after his family filed a missing person report.
Ruling a verdict of suicide, Coroner Patricia Morgan gave Perks' cause of death as hanging.
His sister Julie Anne Perks said her brother was a committed member of the Scouts who had received the organisation's highest award just two years before his death.
The two women claim they reported the alleged abuse twice to leaders in the organisation – once in the mid-2000s and then in 2016 – before going to police.
Perks was kept on as a leader by Scouts Cymru until his suspension days before his death.
A Scouts commissioner has since been suspended and is being probed for "failure to report an incident within the given timescales".
The Scouts previously said its “number one priority” was the safety of young people in its care with everyone working to a “strict code of practice”.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
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