‘Tragic loss’ Student died after he took MDMA and ketamine at club
A‘CARING’ 20-year-old student who had hoped to build a music career in Bristol died after taking MDMA and ketamine at a club night, an inquest heard.
James Diss suffered an extreme reaction to the drugs while attending an event at The Warehouse Project in Manchester in the early hours of September 25 last year. He was taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary but died a short time later.
Mr Diss had recently moved to Bristol from his home in Newmarket, Suffolk, to start his studies at a music school. He was due to start his new course just two days before his death.
At the inquest, senior coroner Nigel Meadows warned that taking drugs was “simply playing Russian roulette with your life”.
Mr Meadows said at Manchester Coroner’s Court on Monday that it was “a strange coincidence” that James was the only one to die.
The court heard how Mr Diss had travelled to Manchester on a coach from Bristol and met with friends ahead of the Metropolis drum and bass and jungle night, headlined by DJs Andy C, Friction and Sub Focus.
A friend had bought blue ‘Louis Vuitton’ pills in Suffolk and brought them to Manchester to distribute among the group, the court was told. Mr Diss immediately became unwell after taking the pills and began removing his clothing on the dancefloor, and was then found slumped against a wall in the corner of the club.
Paramedics began treating him but took him to hospital after his condition worsened. Mr Diss was only at the hospital for a short time before he was pronounced dead.
The hearing was told his friends were detained in a security lodge at the venue and spoken to by police. Four were arrested for drug possession with intent to supply.
Two friends were found not to be in possession of any drugs but admitted taking some and were also taken to hospital for checks. Two young men are still under investigation by police.
Toxicologist Julie Evans found a 5.9 MDMA concentration in Mr Diss’s system. Traces of ketamine and alcohol were also present. She found no evidence of natural diseases or undiagnosed conditions.
Giving evidence at the inquest, Mr Diss’s parents said: “James was brought up in Newmarket and never lived anywhere else. He was a normal little boy; he was a good student and did well.
“He went on to become an apprentice accountant. He completed his apprenticeship and decided that because he had a strong interest in music he would apply to the British Institute of Modern Music in Bristol.
“He moved to Bristol in September and was due to start his course. He was a DJ and producer and was hoping to build a following in Bristol.
“He had no issues with alcohol and we were aware he had tried cannabis socially in the past but we were not aware he was taking harder drugs.
“He was a caring son and brother and he was close to all his family members. After going to Bristol, he called his family every day to let his parents know what was going on.
“He left Bristol to meet up with friends at the Warehouse Project. He called his parents at around 11pm after he arrived in Manchester on a coach. Everything was fine; he was looking forward to the evening. He was very excited and happy to be starting his course in Bristol and was in a very good mood in the days leading up to his death.”
Mr Diss’s death was ruled as drug-related. Before concluding the inquest, senior coroner Nigel Meadows said: “He was clearly an intelligent young man with lots of plans for the future and had achievements already.
“He wished to pursue those, interested in more of a career. He was due to start at the BIMM in Bristol on September 27. It seems then having agreed with friends he would go to Warehouse Project for an event that would go on for most of the night and into the early hours of the following morning.
“He met up with a number of friends from his local area and, I accept, to find that at least ketamine
and ecstasy had been purchased by one or more of them. When he went to Warehouse Project, he consumed one of more of these tablets. He had, it seems, a very significant and rapid reaction to these drugs – sufficient enough for him to display very bizarre behaviour.
“When we’re 20 years of age we often think we’re bulletproof and nothing will happen to us. The impetuosity of youth is something we should not disregard.
“We were all 20 at some point and I’m sure we got up to things our parents would not approve of. This is probably every parent’s worst nightmare – James being off to Bristol for what was going to be the next stage of a very happy life. The next thing you know you’re getting phone calls. There can be nothing worse.
“What this demonstrates, yet again, is that there really is no such thing as recreational drug-taking. It’s simply playing Russian roulette with your life. It’s perhaps a strange coincidence that James was the only one fatally affected. It really is a very tragic loss.”
What this demonstrates, yet again, is that there really is no such thing as recreational drug-taking. It’s simply playing Russian roulette with your life
Coroner Nigel Meadows