Sometimes, traumatic moments from the past cast long shadows over people’s lives.
This is the case with James Riley, a man who tragically passed away while in police custody—and who had once discovered the body of toddler James Bulger, a heartbreaking case that shook Liverpool decades ago.
What Happened to James Riley in Custody
James Riley, 44, was arrested near Chapel Gardens in Liverpool on March 14, 2023, suspected of drug offenses.
After being held overnight in a police cell, he was found lying on the floor the following afternoon and sadly died later that evening at Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
An inquest held at the Gerard Majella courthouse in Kirkdale revealed that the cause of death was toxicity from cocaine and heroin.
The senior coroner, Andre Rebello, shared these findings during the inquest.
The Inquest and Medical Assessments
The inquest looked into the care James received while in custody, especially medical checks done at the police station.
There was particular attention on whether he should have been taken to the hospital earlier.
Coroner Rebello explained that officers arrested James shortly before 10 pm.
At the police station on St Anne Street, the custody sergeant noted James was intoxicated and placed him on a rest period overnight.
Around 10 am, a healthcare professional examined James and suggested he might have been self-medicating during detention.
Despite a strip search, no drugs were found on him. He was given another four-hour rest period but was later found lying on the floor just before 5 pm.
An ambulance rushed him to the hospital, but he arrived in cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at 6:15 pm.
The Shocking Discovery
A post-mortem examination uncovered that James had swallowed three packages of heroin and a small block of crack cocaine, which were found inside his stomach.
The Emotional Impact on His Family
James’s mother, Julie Riley, shared her heartbreak, saying her son deserved more support from the police after the traumatic experience of finding James Bulger’s body as a teenager.
She believes that after that terrible moment, her son fell into a difficult lifestyle, getting involved with the wrong people.
She expressed how hard it was for James to escape those influences, painting a picture of a man deeply affected by trauma and struggling afterward.
Remembering the James Bulger Case
The story of James Riley cannot be separated from the tragic murder of two-year-old James Bulger in 1993.
Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, both just 10 years old at the time, abducted James from outside a butcher’s shop in Bootle, Merseyside.
The young boy was led on a two-and-a-half-mile walk to Walton, with 38 people witnessing the group along the way.
Some bystanders noticed James was distressed, but the abduction went unnoticed.
The two boys later brutally tortured and killed James, leaving his body on a railway line in Walton, a crime that shocked the nation.
Looking Back and Moving Forward
James Riley’s story reminds us how traumatic experiences, especially those as harrowing as finding a murdered child, can deeply affect someone’s life in ways we might not fully understand.
His death underlines the importance of support and care for people struggling with trauma and addiction, especially within the justice system.