The inquest into the death of 14-year-old Jools Sweeney has been ordered to be reopened after the High Court quashed the original conclusion. Jools, from Gloucestershire, died in April 2022, but the initial inquest in September 2022 lasted only 23 minutes and called no live evidence before returning a narrative conclusion.
Mother's Legal Challenge
Jools' mother, Ellen Roome, launched a legal challenge against the senior coroner for Gloucestershire to have the conclusion quashed and the inquest reopened. Her legal team presented new evidence at a High Court hearing on Thursday, highlighting the role of social media in Jools' death and lines of inquiry not pursued in the original inquest, particularly concerning TikTok's platform and data.
The coroner and TikTok did not oppose the bid to reopen the inquest. At the hearing's conclusion in London, Lord Justice Warby, sitting with Mrs Justice Heather Williams, quashed the conclusion and ordered a new inquest. Warby stated, “We have concluded that the application should be granted.” Ms Roome wept as the ruling was delivered.
New Evidence and Investigative Gaps
Harry Lambert, Ms Roome's barrister, said in written submissions that the Attorney General granted permission to proceed with the legal challenge in March. Gloucestershire Police are also reviewing their investigation into Jools' death. Lambert noted that a considerable body of new evidence and investigative insufficiencies had emerged, particularly concerning the role of social media, especially TikTok, in the events leading to Jools' death.
Lambert stated that evidence from Jools' TikTok data was “highly probative of overuse or addiction.” However, he emphasized that the reopened inquest “could take many directions” and that several significant lines of inquiry not pursued in 2022 have nothing to do with TikTok. These include the possibility that Jools' Instagram account was hacked or that conversations before his death occurred on platforms other than TikTok.
Possible Sextortion and Fraud
Lambert also revealed that a fraudulent Instagram account operated by an African crime gang contacted Jools shortly before his death. Evidence from his phone indicated a “possible attempt at extortion or ‘sextortion’.” He concluded, “Together, this material provides a much fuller evidential platform and paints a more comprehensive and potentially different picture of how the deceased came by his death.”
Ms Roome's sole concern, Lambert added, is “that all of these matters be fully and fearlessly investigated, whatever the outcome. She seeks only the truth about how her son died, wherever the evidence may lead.”
