Former police officer jailed over ‘jealous rage’ attack on ex-girlfriend

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A police officer brutally attacked his ex-girlfriend in a “jealous rage” after he learned she was planning to start a new relationship, a court has heard.

James Riley, 28, strangled PhD student Ellie Moxham and left her unconscious on a Manchester city centre hotel room floor as he phoned for an ambulance.

Miss Moxham was rushed to hospital and placed in an induced coma before she regained consciousness the following day.

On Friday, Riley, from Preston, Lancashire, was jailed at Manchester Crown Court for 16 years after he pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to attempted murder.

Riley, who was off-duty at the time of the incident on November 10 2022, was dismissed by his employers, Lancashire Constabulary, last year.

The couple had been in a relationship for several years and bought a house together in 2021, but it was effectively at an end by the date of the offence.

Sentencing the defendant, Judge Patrick Field KC told him: “The relationship had become an unhappy one, characterised by jealousy and possessive behaviour on your part.

“Nevertheless, you and she had plans earlier to attend a concert in Manchester on November 10 and she was persuaded to come and stay at a hotel. A decision that I am sure she will forever regret.

“I note the observations in the pre-sentence report that you may well have interpreted her willingness to attend the concert as a hope for reconciliation.

“It is clear that she had no intention whatsoever of reconciling with you. She was intent on forming a new relationship with another man.

“As a result of that you became consumed by uncontrollable anger and a jealous rage, and you attacked her with murderous intent.”

He said that Miss Moxham had no memory of the assault, but it was “clear” that Riley “gripped her throat and strangled her with such force over a significant period that her brain was starved of oxygen”.

This caused her to lose consciousness, he said, and to suffer profound injuries which has led to continuing cognitive difficulties.

Judge Field went on: “To your discredit – once you realised Miss Moxham was indeed very seriously injured and in need of expert medical assistance – your first reaction seems to have been to call your parents to speak to them for about 11 minutes before, almost as an afterthought, calling for an ambulance.

“You also abandoned Miss Moxham at the scene in an effort to save your own skin.

“While I accept this was not a pre-meditated attack and you acted spontaneously, this was nevertheless a brutal and determined attempt to kill your former partner.”

Riley, of Jepps Avenue, Barton, was due to go on trial last November but changed his plea to guilty a week before.

Judge Field said the ongoing cognitive problems for Miss Moxham, a student at Lancaster University with teaching responsibilities, was a “serious impairment”.

She suffered from severe fatigue, poor concentration, memory deficit and frequent headaches, the court heard, as well as anxiety.

Miss Moxham entered the witness box, screened from Riley in the dock, to read out her victim personal statement.

She said: “Although I count myself as extremely fortunate that I cannot remember anything about that night, I frequently have terrifying nightmares in which I am being attacked, strangled and suffocated.

“This has all fed into feelings of anxiety in my day-to-day life and a tendency to overthink.”

She told the court that the pain in her life that Riley had caused was “nigh on indescribable”.

She said: “Instead of admitting what he had done and shown remorse, he has dragged this out for an entire year.

“James destroyed my self-esteem by making derogatory comments about my looks. He said he was superior to me at everything and that I could do nothing right.

“He became increasingly frustrated and angry at the slightest things. My character would be obliterated and it was always my fault.

“He alienated me from myself. I think it will take a long time to respect me again.”

Miss Moxham said: “In hindsight, his manipulation was so insidious.

“He was also a police officer, so you carry a certain level of trust that he will not cause you harm.”

She added: “I don’t want to be defined by this. I hope today is closure and a chance to properly put all this behind me.”

Alex Leach KC, prosecuting, said Miss Moxham and Riley began a relationship after they met as students at Lancaster University.

However by November 2022 it had “completely broken down” and they had started seeing other people, he said.

They attended a concert at Manchester’s O2 Apollo but left early and returned to the Premier Inn Hotel in Brook Street.

The prosecutor said that during the evening Miss Moxham exchanged messages with another man in which she said she loved him and wanted to embark upon a new relationship.

The last of the messages was sent as Miss Moxham and Riley entered their bedroom, the court was told.

Mr Leach said: “During the course of their relationship, James Riley had shown a jealous interest in Ellie Moxham’s communications with other men.

Moreover, as their relationship collapsed, it is clear that James Riley became aware of the role of the other male in her life.

“It is the prosecution case that he learned of her continued feelings for the other male and shortly following their entering the bedroom he attacked her.”

At 11.16pm Riley phoned his parents and told them: “I’ve killed Ellie and I’m going to kill myself. I just wanted to say goodbye.”

Riley’s mother, Karen, called the police following the 11-minute call and one minute later Riley himself rang for an ambulance.

As he made the 999 call he was captured on CCTV fleeing the hotel by the fire escape, the court heard.

A paramedic arrived and found the bedroom door propped open by a rolled-up towel, said Mr Leach.

The prosecutor said Miss Moxham’s eyes were flickering on examination and not responding to light which indicated a serious brain injury.

Next to Miss Moxham on the floor was a small plastic bag, the court heard.

Riley took a taxi to his parents’ home near Bradford, West Yorkshire, and was later arrested nearby after he climbed out of their bathroom window when they alerted police of his presence.

Riley stated to detectives he had lost his temper when Miss Moxham said she wanted to pursue a new relationship.

He said he applied momentary pressure to her neck and pair had fallen off the bed and on to the floor.

Riley explained he had placed a bag over head because he “could not stand to look at her” before he later removed it.

David James, defending, said: “Mr Riley knows he has let down everyone in his life. He knows he has let down the police force and his police colleagues.

“He wishes to apologise to his family but most of all he does wish to publicly apologise to Miss Moxham.

“Miss Moxham did nothing wrong. He knows she is entitled to pursue whatever life she wishes to. He is truly sorry.

“He is dealing with the issues that he brought to bear in the relationship. He recognises the relationship did not have a future.

“He wants her to know she will never hear from him again. He knows that leaving her there was an act of cowardice.

“He wants Miss Moxham to know he genuinely wishes her to find happiness and success in her life”

Riley, who must serve two-thirds of his jail term before he can be released on licence, was also issued a restraining order which prevents him from contacting Miss Moxham or knowingly going within 50 metres of her presence.