The coroner appealed a judicial review granted after he allowed into evidence, hearsay evidence contained in a written statemnent from a witness who could not attend the inquest. Held: Rule 37 does not allow the admission of a document, even where the maker is unable to attend. Rule 37 replaced a rule which applied to … Continue reading Assistant Deputy Coroner of Inner West London v Paul and Another, Regina on the Application of: CA 28 Nov 2007
The coroner was to hold an inquest into the death of Alexander Litvinenko, a prominent Russian exile. The Secretary of State issued a public interest immunity certificate in respect of several documents sought for the inquest, which, in part, the Coroner rejected. The court considered the possibility that a Properly Interested Person should be allowed … Continue reading Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs v Assistant Deputy Coroner for Inner North London: Admn 27 Jun 2013
A coroner’s assessor may interrogate witnesses but shouldn’t give evidence himself. Citations: Times 15-Jul-1996 Statutes: Coroners Rules 1984 (1984 No 552) 20 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Coroners Updated: 11 June 2022; Ref: scu.88134
A prisoner had been killed in his cell by a cell-mate known to be unstable and racist. His family sought to be involved in the inquiry into the death within the prison system. A second prisoner hanged himself in his cell. His family alleged that he should have been kept on suicide watch. The coroner … Continue reading Regina (Amin) v Secretary of State for the Home Department; Regina (Middleton) v Coroner for West Somersetshire: CA 27 Mar 2002
The claimant doctor renewed his application for judicial review of the jury verdict of unlawful killing at the inquest into a patient. The patientwas alcoholic. The doctor prescribed a sedative drug for him, but it was known to be potentially lethal when taken with alcohol. The patient had used them in combination on previous occasions. … Continue reading Sreedharan, Regina (on The Application of) v HM Coroner for The County of Greater Manchester: Admn 28 May 2012
Coroners are forbidden by the rules to make recommendations to a jury as to their verdict. Despite the fact that the coroner was represented at the appeal, the court refused to make any order for costs against the coroner. This was not a case where they could express strong disapproval of the coroner, there being … Continue reading Regina v Shrewsbury Coroner’s Court ex parte British Parachute Association: QBD 21 Sep 1987
The Coroners’ rule requiring a witness to give evidence in person did not stop the use of screen to protect the witness. Citations: Times 19-Jan-1998 Statutes: Coroners Rules 1984 (1984 No 552) 17 Coroners Updated: 09 April 2022; Ref: scu.87424
The coroner refused to allow access to the sister of the deceased subject of the inquest to the papers and statements in advance of the inquest. The fact that the rules allowed it but impose do clear duty did not mean that he should not look to the circumstances of the case, and recognise the … Continue reading Regina v Avon Coroner, Ex Parte Bentley: QBD 23 Mar 2001
The deceased prisoner had hanged himself. He had been a known suicide risk, and his brother said that the authorities being so aware, the death resulted from their lack of care. The inquest heard in full the circumstannces leading up to the death, but the Coroner directed the jury not to return a verdict which … Continue reading Regina v North Humberside and Scunthorpe Coroner ex parte Jamieson: CA 27 Apr 1994
The claimant’s son was found hanging in his prison cell. He appealed refusal of a judicial review of the coroner’s decision not to put to the jury a question as to certain possible causative matters. The youth was seen hanging, but the guard called the wrong alarm code in, and did not attempt to cut … Continue reading Lewis, Regina (on The Application of) v HM Coroner for The Mid and North Division of The County of Shropshire and Another: CA 21 Dec 2009
The court was asked whether evidence of the commission of the criminal offence of causing death by careless driving contrary to section 2B of the 1988 Act is capable of justifying a verdict of ‘unlawful killing’ at an inquest. Held: The coroner had been wrong to leave the offences of causing death by dangerous driving … Continue reading Wilkinson, Regina (on The Application of) v HM Coroner for The Greater Manchester South District: Admn 11 Oct 2012
A post mortem had been carried out by the defendants. The claimants, her grandmother and child sought damages after it was discovered that not all body parts had been returned for burial, some being retained instead for medical research. They now appealed an order striking out their claim on the baiss that it disclosed no … Continue reading Dobson and Dobson v North Tyneside Health Authority and Newcastle Health Authority: CA 26 Jun 1996
A Coroner’s enquires should be as to ‘how’ the death arose, and not into all the circumstances contributing to the death.
Simon Brown LJ said: ‘It is clear that the coroner’s over-riding duty is to inquire ‘how’ the deceased came by his death . .
The claimant sought judicial review of decisions of the coroner at the inquest of his late wife, and in particular as to the non-disclosure by the coroner of the police report prepared for the inquest.
Held: ‘The police report is a document . .
It is for the coroner to decide how to adduce the necessary evidence as to death. Lord Goff discussed Rule 17 of the 1980 Rules: ‘Nor, in my opinion, does the mere fact that a rule restricts the power of a coroner as to the evidence which he may . .
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Presumption in Favour of Open Proceedings There had been an unauthorised dissemination by the petitioner to third parties of the official shorthand writer’s notes of a nullity suit which had been heard in camera. An application was made for a committal for contempt. Held: The House equated the contempt to a breach of an injunction … Continue reading Scott v Scott: HL 5 May 1913
In each case a death had occurred many years earlier where the deceased had apparently died at the hands of the armed forces. The relatives now challenged the range of verdicts which could be left to a coroner’s jury.Lord Bingham said: ‘The Coroner must decide how widely the inquiry should range to elicit the facts … Continue reading Jordan v Lord Chancellor and Another (Northern Ireland): HL 28 Mar 2007
The deceased committed suicide in prison. Her family sought to have added to the verdict the words ‘contributed by neglect’ and complained that the inquest had not provided a full and proper investigation of the death. Held: The Act needed to be read in its broader meaning to be compliant with the 1998 Act. ‘The … Continue reading Sacker, Regina (on the Application of) v Coroner for the County of West Yorkshire: HL 11 Mar 2004
The deceased died after being hit by a policemen with his baton when being arrested. The verdict of misadventure was now challenged. The police officer said he had hit out in fear of imminent attack. It was said that the Coroner had permitted those representing the police to bring in previous convictions recorded against the … Continue reading Regina v Southwark Coroner ex parte Fields: Admn 30 Jan 1998
The applicant, a sister of the deceased, requested a judicial review of the decision of the coroner not to allow her to be represented and to cross examine witnesses. Held: One of the coroner’s letters had been offensive and misleading. A close blood relative should normally be allowed to be represented. The coroner had erred … Continue reading Regina v Coroner for Southern District of Greater London, ex Parte Driscoll: Admn 22 Oct 1993
The system under which the registered keeper of a vehicle was obliged to identify herself as the driver, and such admission was to be used subsequently as evidence against her on a charge of driving with excess alcohol, was not a breach of her right to a fair trial. The right not to give evidence … Continue reading Stott (Procurator Fiscal, Dunfermline) and Another v Brown: PC 5 Dec 2000
The claimant had supported the grant of a visa to a woman in order to speak to members of Parliament who was de facto leader of an Iranian organsation which had in the past supported terrorism and had been proscribed in the UK, but that proscription had been cancelled by the Tribunal. Lord Carlile appealed … Continue reading Lord Carlile of Berriew QC, and Others, Regina (on The Application of) v Secretary of State for The Home Department: SC 12 Nov 2014
The claimant’s husband had been lost from the defendant’s ship at sea. The defendant had contracted to pay compensation unless the loss was by suicide. They so determined. The court was now asked whether that was a permissible conclusion in the circumstances: ‘This case raises two inter-linked questions of principle, one general and one particular. … Continue reading Braganza v BP Shipping Ltd: SC 18 Mar 2015
The deceased died aged 14 in a Secure Training Centre by hanging. He had complained of his treatment and restraint methods used. The mother sought judicial review of the conduct of the inquest, wanting the coroner not to have ruled on the legality of the restraint methods used, and which of the STC Rules and … Continue reading Pounder, Regina (on the Application of) v HM Coroner for the North and South Districts of Durham and Darlington and others: Admn 22 Jan 2009
Two children died when their father jumped with them from a hotel balcony. The father had been acquitted in Crete of manslaughter after evidence of his psychiatric condition. The applicant now challenged the English coroner’s verdict of unlawful killing. Held: If the trial had been in England, a coroner could not make a finding inconsistent … Continue reading O’Connor, Regina (On the Application of) v HM Coroner for District of Avon and Another: Admn 7 May 2009
The deceased soldier died of heat exhaustion whilst on active service in Iraq. It was said that he was owed a duty under human rights laws, and that any coroner’s inquest should be a fuller one to satisfy the state’s duty under Article 2. Held: The SSD’s appeal succeeded. ‘jurisdiction’ within the meaning of Article … Continue reading Smith, Regina (on The Application of) v Secretary of State for Defence and Oxfordshire Assistant Deputy Coroner (Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening): SC 30 Jun 2010
The appellants were mothers of two servicemen who had died whilst on active service in Iraq. They appealed refusal to grant a public inquiry. There had already been coroners inquests. They said that Article 2 had been infringed. Held: The appeal was dismissed. The right to an inquiry was procedural and depended first on the … Continue reading Gentle, Regina (on the Application of) and Another v The Prime Minister and Another: HL 9 Apr 2008
Our law-index is a substantial selection from our database. Cases here are restricted in number by date and lack the additional facilities formerly available within lawindexpro. Please do enjoy this free version of the lawindex. Case law does not ‘belong’ to lawyers. Judgments are made up of words which can be read and understood (if … Continue reading law index
