Taking Gran's vodka led James down fatal path

James Webster's uncle says that the drinking was 'totally out of character'. Photo / Supplied

It was a typical teenage white lie - he was going to study with a friend.

But instead, King's College boarder James Webster, 16, took an old bottle of vodka from his grandmother's liquor cabinet and went to an 18th birthday party in Grey Lynn.

The Thames-raised Year 12 student was drinking outside the RSA in a car, but was later found very drunk by a parent of the host.

"He was very ill and passing out," his uncle Donald Webster told the Herald. "They [the birthday teen's parents] did what they could ... They put him to bed and kept a watch on him."

A friend, Jamie Rodriguez, told Close Up: "I saw him sculling back some vodka - like maybe a quarter of a bottle - like water."

Mr Webster understood his nephew was checked throughout Saturday night, but could not be roused in the morning.

When paramedics and police were called about 7.15am, nothing could be done.

Yesterday, King's students wore formal uniform as a mark of respect for James and flags were lowered to half-mast. Headmaster Bradley Fenner said students were "grieving sorely at this time".

Tributes have poured into a special "RIP James Webster" page on Facebook which last night had more than 900 members.

One was from Kate Thode, the mother of 15-year-old boarder William Thode, who died in his sleep at King's in February.

"How terribly sad for you all - our very deepest sympathy. We do know how you are feeling," she wrote, adding: "I truly believe William and James will find each other in heaven - their fun days and years not yet over."

An autopsy yesterday failed to shed light on what killed James. Police are now awaiting a full toxicology report, which could take several weeks.

Mr Webster hoped that would "tell us the story" of how his nephew died.

"He may have asphyxiated on his own vomit, but more than likely he actually died of alcoholic poisoning," he told the Herald.

He did not know what possessed James to take the vodka.

"This is totally out of character ... He had totally convinced my brother he was off to study with a friend, stay there the night and was off to a chemistry tutorial the next day.

"The bottle had probably been sitting there 20 years ... It was a time bomb waiting to go off. No one drinks vodka in my family."

But instead of driving to that friend's house, James stopped off for dinner elsewhere and carried on to the party, his uncle said.

Meanwhile, James' father was a five-minute drive away in Herne Bay.

Donald Webster said the party was well organised. "What James did was done outside the party, it wasn't done inside ... He brought a bottle of vodka with him."

Mr Webster urged young people to learn from the tragedy. "What I really want to reinforce is the story that I tell my 15-year-old: You can do anything you like but I'm sitting on your shoulder ... If your parents were sitting on your shoulder looking at what you were doing and they would approve, then carry on. If you don't think they would approve, don't do it."

James' cousin Christina Webster wrote online: "This should never have happened and now the consequences are disastrous.

"He has been taken away from his loved ones by a poison that people, especially those with little experience, have no respect for."

She urged people to realise that getting "completely wasted" was not the point of drinking.

James' funeral will be on Thursday in the King's College chapel.

WHAT TO DO

Alcohol Advisory Council says:

* Put the person in the recovery position.
* Make sure they're breathing and their mouth is empty.
* Clear any vomit from their mouth.
* If they are not breathing, start CPR.
* Loosen any tight clothing that might restrict their breathing.
* Keep them warm.
* Call an ambulance and explain the circumstances and your actions.