A promising young rugby player fell to his death from a multi-storey car park after becoming addicted to 'evil' ketamine, an inquest heard.
Josh Perry's mother said her 'caring and kind' 21-year-old son would be 'still be here today' had he not got hooked on the hallucinogenic drug aged 17.
After a coroner ruled that she couldn't be sure Josh, who had never expressed any suicidal thoughts previously, intended to take his own life, Natasha Perry hit out the 'epidemic' of ketamine, which she described as being 'too freely available' and 'infecting our children.'
She also said she was angry that inadequate safety railings on the 19th floor of the car park, in Liverpool, meant Josh, who previously played for Warrington Wolves rugby league team, was easily able to climb over and fall to his death while intoxicated.
Mrs Perry said: 'There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss my wonderful, caring and kind son.
'Josh would never have taken his own life and would still be here today if it wasn't for the evil drug that is ketamine.
'I want people to realise that there is an epidemic of this drug and it is infecting our children because it is too freely available.
'Something needs to be done to prevent more families from suffering the heartache we are being forced to endure.'
Emergency services were called to the car park, in Liverpool, around 6.20pm on March 24 last year. Josh was found with serious injuries and died at the scene.
Liverpool Coroner's Court heard that Josh had been a 'desperately longed for' child and grew up surrounded by a close-knit family.
A talented rugby league player, he won multiple awards and signed for Warrington Wolves as a youngster.
But, aged 17, he started experimenting with ketamine and became addicted to the tranquiliser drug which, Mrs Perry said, left him like a 'walking spaceman.'
His addiction strained his relationship with his family and, in November 2024, he was diagnosed with ketamine-induced uropathy, a painful condition known as ketamine bladder, which causes sufferers to urinate frequently and is linked to prolonged misuse of the drug.
Despite this, the court heard that, before his death, Josh was trying to turn his life around. He had recently completed an eight-week rehabilitation programme to get off the drug and his family had been hopeful for his future.
However, in the days leading up to his death there were concerns he had relapsed.
Emergency services were called to the car park, in Heathfield Street, at around 6.20pm on March 14 last year, where Josh was found with severe head injuries.
Detective Chief Inspector James Halpin, of Merseyside Police, told the inquest that CCTV footage showed Josh apparently 'unsteady on his feet' before the fall. Toxicology results later confirmed ketamine, also known as Ket, K or Special K, in his system.
What is Ketamine?
- Ketamine is a powerful anaesthetic which stops you feeling pain.
- It puts users in a trance like state, and is used for operations on humans and animals.
- It was discovered in 1962 and was used in the Vietnam war as an anaesthetic.
- But its mind altering effects has made in a popular party drug. It is often snorted in powder form.
- The effects don't last long, but until they wear off, ketamine can cause a loss of feeling in the body and paralysis of the muscles.
- It can also lead to you experiencing a distortion of reality. This is called being 'K-holed.'
- Regular users can develop serious bladder problems, and the damage can be so serious, it has to be removed by surgery.
- It is a Class B drug, which means it is illegal to take, give away, or sell.
- Anyone caught with the drug faces up to five years behind bars.
- Ketamine is an anaesthetic medicine used in veterinary practice.
According to data from the Office for National Statistics, five per cent of 16 to 24 year olds admitted trying it in 2023 and its use has more than doubled in the past year.
Mrs Perry said she did not believe Josh intended to take his own life because he had made plans for his future.
He had arranged to meet his ex-girlfriend and another friend for coffee and had talked about getting his life back on track.
Elaine Macdonald, a solicitor from Broudie Jackson Canter, who is representing Josh's family, said serious questions remained about the safety of the car park which has been the site of other falls.
She said: 'There are clear concerns that the railing protection is insufficient and the fact that there was a further fall from the same building after Josh's death is extremely worrying.
'Action needs to be taken to prevent further deaths or serious injury.'
Although the inquest heard that the safety railings met current legal requirements, Coroner Helen Rimmer said there were inconsistencies in guidance and confirmed she would be issuing a report warning other deaths could occur if action is not taken.
Mrs Perry added: 'Josh was able to go into a multi-storey car park while intoxicated and climb the small railing on the nineteenth floor. It is outrageous, and safety measures need to be brought in to prevent further tragedies.'
She added that Josh was 'adored by everyone who knew him' and is 'desperately missed.'
'Josh lit up a room with his smile and wicked sense of humour,' she said.
'Our lives have been destroyed by his death leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.'
Recording a narrative conclusion, the coroner said she couldn't be sure Josh intended to take his own life because his ketamine use may have impacted his cognitive function and he had been making plans for the future.
Josh's death follows that of 15-year-old Gabriel Santer, who died after falling from another multi-storey car park in Liverpool, in October 2020.
Since then his father, Jonny Santer, has been campaigning for a change in the law to improve safety.
He wants new legislation to force operators to increase the minimum height of barriers at the top of car parks through the Multi-Storey Car Parks (Safety) Bill, known as Gabe's Law. The bill was introduced to parliament in February 2025 by the family's MP, Maria Eagle.
Gabe, who had been with friends at the Q-car park, in Hanover St, in Liverpool, had just texted his mum to tell her what he wanted for tea, but never came home.