Mother wins legal challenge to reopen son's inquest over social media evidence
A mother has won a landmark legal challenge to reopen her son's inquest in order to examine social media evidence, potentially setting a precedent for how online content is considered in such proceedings.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A mother has won a landmark legal challenge to reopen the inquest into her 14-year-old son's death, so that evidence from his social media accounts can be examined. The High Court ruling could set a precedent for how online content is considered in such proceedings.
Jules Sweeney from Cheltenham died in April 2022. His mother, Ellen Roome, has always believed he died after taking part in an online challenge that went wrong. The original inquest, held in Gloucestershire later that year, lasted just 23 minutes. It heard no oral evidence and did not include any of Jules' social media data. A police investigation also failed to properly examine his devices.
At the High Court in London, judges agreed to quash the original inquest's conclusion and order a fresh one. Mrs Roome broke down in tears when the decision was announced. She said she had been "absolutely broken" at times but had fought for answers not just for her son but for other families. "I've changed the law so that hopefully no other parent, when a child dies, will ever be in my position," she told reporters outside court.
The case is the first time a child's inquest has been reopened specifically to examine social media evidence. Since Jules' death, changes in the law mean the media regulator Ofcom can now request information from social media companies, including material a child has viewed. A new law, introduced in Jules' name, also requires platforms to secure potential evidence within five days of a child's death.
Other parents who have lost children in circumstances they believe involve online content were in court to support Mrs Roome. Mariano Janin, whose 14-year-old daughter Mia died in 2021, said he was now considering applying to reopen her inquest. Three fathers also spoke of their frustration that police had not done enough to investigate their children's deaths, with one saying a phone and a SIM card had been lost.
TikTok, the platform Mrs Roome believes was involved, has said it strictly prohibits any dangerous content or behaviour. The company is also under investigation by Ofcom over concerns about the effectiveness of its age-checking systems. TikTok insists it meets its legal obligations under the Online Safety Act.
Mrs Roome said she would continue to fight for the truth. "I just don't understand why this happy, very loved, normal 14-year-old suddenly chose to end his life. I don't believe it," she said. "I just want the chance to say, is there something there that will explain what happened?"
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One | ITV |
|---|---|---|
| Changes in the law now require social media platforms to secure evidence within five days of a child's death and allow Ofcom to request information from social media companies. | ||
| New evidence regarding the role of social media had come to light, and the police investigation did not properly examine Jules's devices. | ||
| The High Court quashed the original inquest into Jules Sweeney's death and ordered a new one, the first time a child's inquest has been reopened to examine social media evidence. | ||
| The original inquest lasted only 23 minutes and heard no oral evidence. | ||
| Mariano Janin, whose daughter Mia died in 2021, is considering applying to reopen her inquest after the ruling. | · | |
| There are suggestions that Jules Sweeney was being blackmailed by someone trying to get control of his computer. | · | |
| Three fathers of children whose deaths involved social media complained that not enough was done to investigate. | · | |
| TikTok is under investigation by Ofcom over serious doubts about the effectiveness of its age checks. | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV1's coverage across its lunchtime, West Country, and evening news programmes focused on the landmark nature of the ruling and the emotional journey of Ellen Roome. The reporting highlighted the mother's determination and the broader implications for other families, while also including a separate investigation into TikTok's age checks. The tone was supportive and emphasised the legal precedent set by the case.
- “This is a landmark ruling. There were other families inside listening on, saying it gives them hope in their cases.”
- “I've changed the law so that hopefully no other parent, when a child dies, will ever be in my position.”
- “It's the first time a child's inquest has been reopened to examine social media evidence.”
BBC ONE West's coverage placed greater emphasis on the failures of the initial police investigation and the broader group of parents who feel let down by authorities. The reporting included details of a new law introduced in Jules' name requiring social media platforms to secure evidence within five days, and mentioned the theory that Jules may have been blackmailed. The tone was more critical of official handling of the case.
- “If Jules' social media data had been obtained when he died, we might already know whether it held the answers we've spent four years searching for.”
- “It would be very, very helpful if the police did their job, you know. It's as bold as that.”
- “But social media platforms can now be ordered to secure potential evidence within five days of a child's death. A new law introduced in Jules's name.”
Broadcast Timeline
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