JAMES MORTON SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS IN PRISON IN NOTTINGHAM FOR MANSLAUGHTER OF TEENAGER

In July 2017, a tragic case unfolded in Nottingham when James Morton, 24, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after being found guilty of manslaughter. The victim, 16-year-old Hannah Pearson, had met Morton just hours before her death. According to reports, Morton became 'obsessed' with strangulation during sex after watching it on a porn DVD.

Morton invited Hannah to his home, where he served her alcohol and then guided her to his bedroom. There, he throttled her, leading to her loss of consciousness. After realizing she was not breathing, Morton finally called emergency services 20 minutes later. Despite efforts to save her and rushed her to the hospital, Hannah was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

During trial proceedings, Morton admitted to placing Hannah, who had drunk heavily and was struggling to stand, in bed and climbing in beside her before strangling her to death. He was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter at Nottingham Crown Court after a two-week trial.

Hannah’s mother, Dawn Pearson, delivered an emotional victim impact statement directly to the court, describing her daughter as "the most beautiful daughter you could ask for." She expressed the profound pain her family felt, recounting the moment police delivered the tragic news. "The loss and pain we are all experiencing is indescribable. To have the police knock at your front door and tell you your daughter has been killed is a parent’s worst nightmare. This is the nightmare we are living with every single day," she said.

Pearson went on to describe the physical and emotional toll of her daughter’s death, saying, "The hurt and pain we feel is indescribable, the physical pain we feel in our hearts is suffocating. We so desperately want to see her walk through our front door again, see her beautiful smile, but we can't. She has been taken away from us in such a cruel and vicious act. As a family, we have a constant ache in our hearts."

She revealed that Hannah's favorite drink was Diet Coke or Pepsi, which her mother now cannot bring herself to drink in her memory. "My husband Peter has lost his baby girl. He’ll never be able to walk her down the aisle, or see her have children, our grandchildren. He keeps everything inside. He’s only managed to go to Hannah’s grave twice so far. It’s just too hard for him to deal with, and too painful," she said.

Pearson also shared how her son, David, and daughter, Kathryn, are coping with the loss, noting that David struggles to face the reality, and Kathryn has lost her sister. "Our daughter Kathryn has lost her sister, aunt to her baby daughter. This was her daughter’s first Christmas. A time of life which we were looking forward to, was meant to be so special and memorable."

Reflecting on the financial burden, Pearson added, "On top of the huge emotional effect of losing our daughter, we have also suffered financially. We have had to pay for funeral flowers and a wake. This is something we thought we would never have to do for one of our children. A parent should not have to bury their own child, a child who has not the chance to live a life of their own."

Judge Mrs. Justice Carr sentenced Morton to 12 years in prison, with the requirement that he serve at least half of that term. Addressing Morton directly, she described, "You guided her up to your bed, where you joined her. Whilst in bed, you initiated auto-erotic sexual activity by placing first one hand, and then two hands to her neck. You enjoyed the domination, something you had seen on a porn DVD previously, and had also tried with at least one previous girlfriend."

The judge went on to explain, "I am sure, as the jury was, that Hannah did not give valid and informed consent to this escalated activity in the knowledge that it carried the risk of some bodily injury. She had never been involved in such activity before, was very intoxicated and, if not totally unconscious, then certainly confused and not thinking straight. She was in no position to object, trapped underneath you whilst you strangled her."

Mrs. Justice Carr emphasized that Morton chose to engage in a dangerous sexual act with a very young, drunk girl whom he had only met that afternoon and who, at the time, was unaware of the risks. "Hannah was to your knowledge very drunk. She was also very young and vulnerable, and alone in a strange house. Indeed, you accepted in your evidence that you felt responsible for her. Jed, her boyfriend, trusted you to take care of her. She trusted you to take care of her."

The judge concluded, highlighting the devastating impact on Hannah’s family, "The pain suffered by her family is indescribable. They live a nightmare every day. Hannah was taken away from them in a shocking, terrifying event that should not have happened."