‘The coroner’s task in a case such as this is a formidable one . . once again, it should not be forgotten that an inquest is a fact-finding exercise and not a method of apportioning guilt. The procedure and rules of evidence which are suitable for the one are unsuitable for the other. In an inquest it should never be forgotten that there are no parties, there is no indictment, there is no prosecution, there is no defence, there is no trial, simply an attempt to establish facts. It is an inquisitorial process, a process of investigation quite unlike a criminal trial where the prosecution accuses and the accused defends, the judge holding the balance or the ring, whichever metaphor one chooses to use’.
Judges:
Lord Lane CJ
Citations:
Unreported, 8 July 1982
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Coroners
Updated: 12 April 2022; Ref: scu.224067
