'Learn from James' death'

James Webster. Photo / Supplied

The family of a teenage boy who died from alcohol poisoning hope his death serves as a warning about the dangers of binge-drinking.

"I guess our only hope is that from James' story, other people don't make the same mistake. Education is the key, and I don't just mean the students," said Donald Webster, uncle of King's College boarder James Webster.

Sixteen-year-old James was carried semi-conscious, vomiting and moaning from a friend's birthday party at the Grey Lynn Returned and Services Club on May 8 last year.

After being left alone on the grass, he was eventually taken back to the party host's house and put to bed. He died in his sleep.

Donald Webster said he hoped "someone, somewhere" thought of the dangers of alcohol when they had a bottle of vodka in front of them.

That included parents holding "children's" parties and giving them alcohol, or finding someone who had too much to drink but believing they "would sleep it off".

The night James died, he was seen to be drinking heavily from bottles of Jagermeister and vodka.

A coroner's inquest found he died from acute alcohol poisoning.