A "traumatised" man who discovered James Bulger's body when he was a teenager died in police custody this month. James Riley, 44 was approached by Merseyside Police on Scotland Road on March 14 at around 9:45pm.
He was taken into custody at St Anne Street Police Station and remained in a cell overnight before he was found on the floor the following day at around 5pm. Paramedics were called out and Riley was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead, the Liverpool ECHO reports.
The troubled offender led a life of crime, having been convicted over 40 times for a range of felonies. His family said his life took a turn after he and his brother, Terrence, discovered little James Bulger's body on a railway line in Walton in 1993, when he was only 14 years old.
The toddler was tortured and murdered by two 10-year-old boys, known as Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, in one of the most heartbreaking crimes that Merseyside has ever seen. In February 1993, grainy CCTV images showed two-year-old James being led out of Bootle's Strand shopping centre where he had been shopping with his mum.
The two evil schoolboys led him to the disused Walton & Anfield railway station near Walton Lane police station where they brutally tortured and killed him. In May 2017, Riley was sentenced to two years and four months in jail after admitting a series of commercial burglaries.
Sarah Holt, defending him in that case, said: “He has been a drug addict for a considerable period of time – all his adult life and in fact most of his adolescence. His problems can be traced back to when he was 14, when he experienced a very traumatic event.
“It was an event I suggest that meant he is suffering from PTSD, though not diagnosed. He never sought counselling he tells me. That led him at 14 to try crack cocaine and his problems really spiralled from thereon in.”
In 2021, he was found lying on an Aberdeen street wearing just his underwear and holding a knife after a gang came after him for money he owed them. Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard that the horrendous discovery of James in 1993 left a lasting impact on his life and how Riley had suffered from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder as a result.
The Independent Office for Police Custody (IOPC) is now investigating Riley's death. IOPC Regional Director Catherine Bates said: "This was a tragic incident in which a man has sadly died and our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. Merseyside Police referred this matter to us, and as he was in the custody of police at the time he became unwell, it is important there is a thorough and independent investigation.
"We will examine all relevant matters including the interaction officers had with the man on the street, and what happened after he arrived at the custody suite. We have made contact with his family to explain our role and will update them as our enquiries progress."
Merseyside Police previously said officers are fully cooperating with the IOPC. A spokesperson for the force said: "We are aware that the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the death of a 44-year-old man in police custody in Liverpool on Wednesday, March 15.
"The force’s Professional Standards Department mandatorily referred the matter to the IOPC following the sad news that the man had passed away and we are fully cooperating with their investigation team. His next of kin have been informed and Merseyside Police would like to offer its condolences to the family for their loss."
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