Police officer who strangled former partner in hotel room jailed for 16 years

A police officer who flew into a jealous rage and strangled his former partner in a hotel room has been jailed for 16 years for attempted murder.

James Riley, 28, was a serving officer with Lancashire Constabulary when he carried out the “brutal” attack on Ellie Moxham at a Premier Inn in Manchester city centre in November 2022.

He has already been dismissed by the force for gross misconduct.

Manchester Crown Court heard the pair had been in a relationship for some time and had bought a house together in 2021.

But prosecutor Alex Leach KC said that by 2022 the relationship had become marred by Riley’s “recurrent anger, aggression and jealousy”.

In a moving impact statement which lasted for around 15 minutes, Ms Moxham told the court how she did not realise “how bad” the relationship had become and that she “trusted” Riley because he was a police officer.

The court heard that when Ms Moxham agreed to attend a concert at the O2 Apollo in Manchester, Riley took this as a sign she was prepared to get back together.

But during the course of the evening Ms Moxham, a PhD student at Lancaster University, was texting another man she had become close to, the court heard.

Prosecutors allege that when the pair returned to the hotel room Riley found out and flew into a violent rage.

“Whether because James Riley saw the messages that she had exchanged, or for some other reason, it is clear that James Riley learned of Ellie Moxham’s continued feelings for the other male and, shortly following their entering the bedroom, he attacked her,” Mr Leach said.

The victim, who is in her mid-twenties, has no recollection of the incident, the court heard.

Riley admits “seeing red” and grabbing her by the neck and applying pressure until she lost consciousness before they both fell to the floor.

He then placed a plastic bag over her head, although prosecutors were unable to prove whether this was “for the purposes of asphyxiation”.

Riley says he used the plastic bag because he couldn’t face looking at her.

In the minutes after the attack, Riley’s first thought was to call his parents for around 10 minutes, telling them: “I’ve killed Ellie and I’m going to kill myself. I just wanted to say goodbye.”

He then called an ambulance before fleeing the scene.

Riley was arrested near his parent’s home in Bradford, West Yorkshire, in the early hours of the next morning.

He admitted attacking Ms Moxham, but denied attempted murder on the basis that he did not intend to kill her before changing his plea a week before a trial was due to begin.

‘I’m a shadow of myself’

The court heard that Ms Moxham suffered an “hypoxic brain injury” as a result of the attack and was rushed to intensive care.

Giving her witness statement in court, Ms Moxham said she continues to suffer headaches, memory loss and extreme fatigue which has impacted on her ability to teach classes at university.

She said Riley has shown a “complete lack of remorse and empathy” and that he has continued to exert control over her from his prison cell, refusing to co-operate with the sale of their joint home.

“The shadow of this crime continues to hang over me,” Ms Moxham said.

“For years James made comments about my self-esteem, my body, cooking and cleaning, nothing was ever good enough.

“He would always say how superior he was and how I can’t do anything right.

“I became a shadow of myself.

“James would become aggressive over the smallest things – even if I just dropped a drink on the floor by accident he would get angry.

“And it was always my fault he reacted that way.

“I thought this is what a relationship was.

“I think it will take a long time to like and respect myself again.”

Jailing him, Judge Patrick Field KC said Riley had become “consumed by an uncontrollable and jealous anger” and attacked Miss Moxham “with murderous intent”.

“You abandoned Ellie Moxham at the scene and in an effort to save your own skin,” he added.

“While you accept this was not a premeditated attack, you acted spontaneously, this was nonetheless a brutal and determined attempt to kill your former partner.”

Speaking after the case, Detective Sergeant Heidi Cullum, from Greater Manchester Police, said: “Firstly, I would like to commend the bravery of the victim who has throughout this case shown immense strength to tell her story.

“What happened to her on that night, by someone she should have been able to trust is unthinkable. We hope now she can move on with the rest of her life safe in the knowledge that he cannot commit this act of violence to anyone else whilst behind bars.

“The support and access GMP detectives received from our counterparts in Lancashire and West Yorkshire was key to ensure we conducted a prompt and effective investigation.

“As police officers the public rightly expect the highest standards of behaviour and integrity. As a profession we are all hurt by Riley’s actions, which can never be justified, and we are pleased he will now face the consequences.”