Additional reporting by Gerry Warren

The mother of a teenage boy who died after taking pills on a night out says seeing the young dealer who sold him the drugs jailed has brought her a sense of "closure".

Kim Webster's life was turned upside down following the death of 17-year-old Will Horley, who made the fatal decision to take tramadol while drinking with friends in Whitstable in the summer of 2018.

The amateur boxer, who was studying public services at Canterbury College and preparing to join the Army, was killed by a lethal dose of the powerful opiate, which is typically used to treat severe pain.

Now, following a five-year wait for justice, Ms Webster was in court to see the man who gave her son the pills put behind bars.

Jake Minter, who was also just 17 at the time, has been sentenced to nine months in prison after admitting supplying the Class C substance to Will in the days before his death.

He appeared last Wednesday before a judge at Canterbury Crown Court, which heard he had not learned from the tragedy, having been jailed for five months in Scotland last year for dealing drugs.

Ms Webster, of Fitzgerald Avenue, Herne Bay, told the Gazette she had mixed emotions seeing 22-year-old Minter in the dock.

"In court he just came across as someone with no respect for the proceedings, even telling the judge he was bored at one stage," she said.

"But as a mum, remarkably, I still had a bit of empathy for him because he was 17 at the time it happened, had no family or friends in court to support him and was said to be suffering from mental health problems.

"I can't say I forgive him, but I don't hold him fully responsible for my son's death, because it was his choice to take the drug.

"But Jake had to understand the consequences of his actions, which is why I wanted the case to be pursued.

"Ironically, had he been charged at the time when he was 17 with a clean record, he would probably have just got a slap on the wrist."

The court was told that Will had been working a summer job at the Lobster Shack in Whitstable in the weeks leading up to his death.

Prosecutor Daniel Stevenson described how he and another teenager, Henry Forsyth, had become friends and colleagues at the restaurant in Whitstable Harbour, occasionally using cannabis and ketamine.

Minter also worked there as a kitchen assistant and was known to have sourced drugs from the "dark web".

“A few days before July 22, 2018, both William and Henry asked the defendant to purchase ketamine, tramadol and Xanax," Mr Stevenson said.

“In due course, the defendant passed the drugs, which were pills, to Henry."

During the Oyster Festival, Will and Henry took the tablets and stayed out late drinking some beers.

“They both had to stagger home," Mr Stevenson explained.

"William was finding it difficult to walk and they both went to Henry’s house to go to sleep – it was at about 2am when they got there."

At about 8am Henry was woken by his sister, and they both noticed Will was deeply asleep and snoring.

“He could not be woken and in due course an ambulance was called, and William was taken to hospital," Mr Stevenson said.

“Tragically, William died that day. The cause of death following a post-mortem examination was recorded as being tramadol and pneumonia."

Ms Webster had been at home on the night of July 22 and had grown increasingly worried for her son after receiving no response to a text message telling him his dinner was in the microwave.

She later woke up “feeling uneasy” and “texted ‘where are you?’ and called him at about 6am but got no response”, Mr Stevenson explained.

The next morning she was told that Will had been taken to the QEQM hospital in Margate. She rushed to be by his side, only to be given the shattering news he had died.

“When [doctors] told me about Will having taken tramadol and Xanax I was shocked,” she added.

The prosecutor described the case as a tragedy, with Minter having no way of knowing the tramadol would cause Will's death.

“The Crown does not suggest that the defendant is legally responsible for William’s death," he said.

“He has not been prosecuted for manslaughter because the evidence is that William voluntarily chose to consume the tramadol.

“There is no suggestion the defendant could or would have contemplated the tramadol he supplied would have proved fatal.

“However, the Crown submits that William’s death is a significant factor, which increases the seriousness of the defendant’s offending.”

Minter initially denied all charges but pleaded guilty to supplying tramadol moments before a jury was sworn in for a trial on Wednesday.

He denied a separate offence of supplying ketamine - a Class B drug - with the charge set to lie on file.

There were significant delays to Minter being brought before the courts because of his conviction in Scotland and complications bringing him back to England.

"He never apologised to us at any time or in court for what happened..."

Representing Minter, Manveer Cheema said he had suffered a psychiatric breakdown since Will’s death.

“This is someone who will have to deal with these decisions for the rest of his life - he is feeling the pain," he said.

“And there is some discount in him entering his guilty plea.”

Judge Catherine Brown told Minter that while he was not “directly responsible” for Will’s death, his drug-dealing "had resulted in tragedy”.

Speaking of Will’s family, she added: “I can only hope that the conclusion of these proceedings brings them some form of peace and they are able to remember the happy times they spent with Will.”

Ms Webster, who works for the NHS, says she is relieved "to have some closure", but still bitterly disappointed Minter had continued to deal drugs following Will's death.

"He never apologised to us at any time or in court for what happened, although apparently told his barrister he was remorseful," she added.

"If I didn't see the case through I would have regretted it for the rest of my life.

"As far I can see, three lives were ruined that night - Will, his friend Henry who was with him and deeply affected, and Jake.

"I've said before that Will was not a druggie but a naïve teenager who made a silly decision in a moment of madness that ended in tragedy."

'Young people have to know the dangers'

Since 2019, Mrs Webster has been on a mission to educate young people on the dangers of drug-taking, using her own experience as a grieving mother and working with The Kenward Trust.

She has given 'hard-hitting' seminars to almost 18,000 secondary school children across the south east.

"We all know drugs are everywhere these days and there is a lot of peer pressure on young people to join in," she said.

"But the consequences can be heartbreaking and it is now something we have to live with for the rest of our lives.

"I'm just a mum who's lost her son but I don't pull any punches, you can't - young people have to know the dangers and consequences of their actions.

"I tell them my journey and what it's like to walk in my shoes."

Mrs Webster says some pupils have left her talk in tears having been deeply affected by Will's story, which she describes as "every parent's worst nightmare".

"I have also had many letters from parents thanking me for getting the message across, and I am sure it has saved lives," she said.

"I have to say that it is also a form of therapy for me because it gives me a chance to talk about Will, the kind of boy he was and his hopes and dreams.

"But I wouldn't do it if I didn't get the positive feedback from the kids and parents that I do."