The High Court has issued a landmark ruling ordering a fresh inquest into the death of 14-year-old Jools Sweeney, whose mother believes he died after participating in a TikTok 'blackout challenge'. The decision marks the first time in England and Wales that a lack of social media evidence has been a primary ground for overturning an inquest.
Background of the Case
Jools Sweeney, a schoolboy from Gloucestershire, died in April 2022. His parents, Ellen Roome and Matt Sweeney, have long contended that social media played a role in his death, pointing to the popularity of the 'blackout challenge' online at the time. The original inquest, held later in 2022, lasted only 23 minutes and heard no oral evidence. It also did not examine social media evidence, which was unavailable at that time.
The High Court Ruling
In their ruling, Lord Justice Warby and Mrs Justice Heather Williams overturned the findings of the original inquest and ordered a fresh investigation. Warby stated it was 'now clear there are various potential lines of inquiry' that had not been considered previously. The judges emphasized that the lack of social media evidence was a key factor in their decision.
Ellen Roome, who wept in court as the ruling was read, said: 'For more than four years, we have fought every single day for the truth about what happened to our beautiful son Jools. Today, the legal system has finally recognised that there are questions which deserve to be answered.'
New Evidence from Forensic Analysis
After the original inquest, Roome commissioned a private forensic analysis of Jools’s phone. This uncovered evidence that was not available to the original investigation. Her barrister, Harry Lambert, stated that evidence from Jools’s TikTok data was 'highly probative of overuse or addiction'. This new evidence was central to the High Court’s decision to reopen the inquest.
Campaign for 'Jools’ Law'
Roome has also successfully campaigned for 'Jools’ law', which requires tech companies to automatically preserve a child’s online and social media data within five days of their death. This provision was written into the Crime and Policing Act on 29 April 2026. The law aims to ensure that families have access to crucial digital evidence in future cases.
Reactions and Broader Implications
Anthony Jones, representing TikTok, said the company did not oppose Roome’s proposal and 'could certainly see the force' for a new inquest. Gary Miller, a partner at Mishcon de Reya who instructed Lambert, commented: 'Ellen’s case has exposed just how much change is needed to ensure that parents like her have greater opportunities and a voice from the opening of the coronial inquiry. Social media is integrated into the lives of young people, and the current investigative processes are not fit for purpose in this new world.'
Roome, joined by four other bereaved British parents, is separately suing TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, in Delaware, US. The case continues to highlight the challenges of investigating deaths potentially linked to social media activity.
