The mum of an alleged victim of a paedophile has spoken out about his family’s fundraiser to help pay for his funeral after he died following a suicide attempt. Relatives set up a GoFundMe page to “Give James Urquhart the send-off he deserves”.
The mum – who is retaining her anonymity to protect her now adult son’s identity – said: “This is a guy who molested a young boy. I can hardly talk through the rage I’m feeling that they are asking people to contribute towards the funeral of a man who wrecked lives.”
Urquhart was facing historic sex assault charges against her son and another boy when he died after livestreaming his suicide bid on TikTok days before he was due in court.
He was found alive by police after friends and relatives dialled 999 but died three days later. It is understood TikTok moderators also called police and took down the live feed.
The appeal, set up on behalf of his sister Karen Urquhart has raised £530 of the £2000 target. Urquhart, who lived in Glasgow and was originally from Airdrie, had a previous conviction for sexual assault involving a child.
The mum of the alleged victim added: “Anyone who has contributed to the fund should know all the facts. My son was seeing a counsellor recently to help him deal with issues over what James had done to him, and the counsellor advised him to tell me.
“It finally made sense, why my lovely son had turned into a shell of himself, someone who couldn’t trust people, who seemed angry with everyone. I was devastated and then we learned James had attacked another boy we knew. They’re grown men now, so it was their choice but we told them maybe they should report him so he couldn’t be doing it to others.
“It was an ordeal for them and for our families but they reported him and he was charged. I think it was a shock to him to realise he wasn’t getting away with it and he couldn’t face the publicity and a long stretch in jail.”
The mum said she regretted Urquhart’s decision to end his life. She said: “I’d rather he had faced justice, going to court and then prison. My son was upset. He said he wouldn’t have wanted that, which shows he’s a far better person than the man who abused him.”
The fundraiser page for Urquhart said: “James was the life and soul of the party. He was also a very kind and caring person. He touched the lives of so many people and always went out his way to look after those around him.
"We are devastated and the world is a darker place. I’ve made this fundraiser to give James the send-off he deserves. I know times are hard just now and so really appreciate anything you can give.”
Urquhart’s sister Karen refused to discuss her brother’s past or the charges he faced. She said: “Remove my number from your phone. That’s the end of this conversation.”
A TikTok spokesperson said: “We are deeply saddened to hear about the death of James. If anyone is struggling with thoughts of suicide or concerned about someone who is, we encourage them to seek support, and we provide access to hotlines directly from our app and in our safety centre.”
A police spokesman said: “At about 10.30pm on January 15 police received a report of concern for a man at a property on Fearnmore Road, Glasgow. A 41-year-old man was taken to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead on January 19. There are no suspicious circumstances.”
A spokesperson for the Crown Office noted the accused in the case was deceased and it could not comment on a closed case.
If you need someone to talk to, call Samaritans on 116 223 or contact Breathing Space at www.breathingspace.scot
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