James Inglis was born around 1922 in Scotland. Specific details about his early life, family background, education, and employment are scarce. Prior to the murder, he was residing in Kingston upon Hull, England.

On February 1, 1951, James Inglis murdered 50-year-old Alice Morgan, a sex worker, in Kingston upon Hull. The incident occurred following a dispute over payment. Inglis strangled Morgan during the altercation. He confessed to the crime and was arrested shortly thereafter.

During his trial, Inglis pleaded insanity, but the jury rejected this defense. On April 20, 1951, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to death by hanging. Since he did not appeal the sentence, the execution was scheduled promptly, as per the legal requirement of waiting for three Sundays to pass.

Inglis was executed on May 8, 1951, at Strangeways Prison in Manchester. The execution was carried out by Albert Pierrepoint, assisted by Syd Dernley. Notably, this execution is recorded as the fastest in British history, taking only seven seconds from the time Inglis was removed from his cell to the moment the trapdoor opened. Dernley later recounted that Inglis practically ran to his execution, following the prison guard's advice to go quickly and "without fuss".