James Morton

In 2016, in Nottinghamshire, 16-year-old Hannah Pearson met 24-year-old James Morton on the day she died. Hannah was heavily intoxicated at the time, while Morton remained sober. Morton had an obsession with strangulation, often watching pornography featuring the strangulation of women.

According to court proceedings, Morton strangled Hannah without warning or permission, as stated by the judge. Morton claimed he began by lightly strangling her, to which she did not object, before applying more force. After realising Hannah had stopped breathing, he waited 20 minutes before calling 999 and had smashed her phone because it was ringing.

The jury cleared Morton of murder but found him guilty of manslaughter. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison. This case highlights the dangers of non-consensual acts disguised as sexual play, with Morton's defence relying on claims of consent despite the evident lack of sobriety on Hannah's part.

Source: We Can't Consent To This campaign article on East Midlands cases.