When can a Coroner re-open their own decision to refuse to hold an inquest?

Written by: Bridget Dolan KC
Published: 8 January 2016

Flower v HM Coroner for Devon, Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon [2015] EWHC 3666 (Admin), [2016] 1 WLR 2221

In a welcome clarification of the extent of a Coroner’s powers to re-open an inquest after having decided not do so, the Divisional Court has confirmed that, where an investigation has been suspended pending criminal proceedings, and a Coroner has determined that it should not be re-opened, the Coroner is not functus officio and so can revisit and change their own decision. Indeed the High Court has no jurisdiction to order an inquest under s13(1)(b) Coroners Act 1988 in such circumstances.

There had been no inquest and hence there were no inquest findings to quash.

Inquest delay and damages

Written by: Bridget Dolan KC
Published: 18 December 2015

Re Jordan’s Applications for JR – Delay & Damages [2015] NICA 66

From the inquest that just keeps on giving a further judgment of the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal (‘NICA’) has been published concerning the award of damages under the Human Rights Act as compensation for the continued delays in bringing to a conclusion the (still unfinished) inquest into the death of Pearse Jordan who was shot by an RUC officer on the Falls Road in 1992.

“The investigation into the death of a close relative, impacts on the next of kin at a fundamental level of human dignity. It is obvious that if unlawful delays occur in an investigation into the death of a close relative that this will cause feelings of frustration, distress and anxiety to the next of kin”. -Stephens J

A huge number of legal decisions, including more than 25 Judicial Review applications have already arisen from the procedural inadequacies in investigating this death. In 2001 an award of £10,000 as compensation for the delay up to that point was made by the European Court in Strasbourg, which called into question whether the Northern Irish inquest system was, at the relevant time, structurally capable of providing for both speed and effective access for the deceased’s family.

The low threshold for calling a jury in police deaths

Written by: Jamie Mathieson
Published: 10 December 2015

R (Fullick) v HM Coroner for Inner London North [2015] EWHC 3522 (Admin)

Susan Jones died after falling ill at a police station after she had attended the station voluntarily as a witness. An alcoholic, homeless and on methadone, she was vulnerable and police statements made it clear that the officers felt they owed her a duty of care: as the Chief Coroner put it, “at the very least she needed looking after”. Having given an interview, Susan was waiting for a specialist team to attend. While waiting she placed her head on the table and appeared to fall asleep, being heard snoring. She was left for some time, checked once, but not roused. Nearly two hours later, officers realised she was not breathing. An ambulance was called and CPR commenced, but she died in hospital just over a week later.

The Coroner’s initial decision not to hold her inquest with a jury was overturned by the High Court, comprising the Chief Coroner and McCombe LJ.

‘Reason to suspect’ is a low and objective threshold: ‘suspect’ means suspicion: ‘a state of conjecture or surmise.’

How does the NHS Duty of Candour impact upon inquests?

Written by: Cecily White
Published: 25 November 2015

Serjeants’ Inn Chambers recently hosted an evening with Sir Robert Francis QC to discuss and reflect upon the impact of the Duty of Candour, as recommended in the 2013 Francis Report, upon practice in a variety of healthcare areas. Cecily White and Paul Spencer considered the impact in the Coronial jurisdiction of the rather snappily named “Regulation 20 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014” (i.e. the Duty of Candour regulations). Their paper on the Duty of Candour and inquests is summarised below.

Why a s.13 application will not get round the Judicial Review time limits

Written by: Bridget Dolan KC
Published: 10 November 2015

Jones v HM Coroner for Gwent and others [2015] EWHC 3178 (Admin)

The Divisional Court this week made clear the limits of s.13 Coroners Act 1988 when seeking to overturn and inquest. Where Judicial Review is the correct vehicle to challenge the decision of a Coroner then the failure to bring such a claim in good time should not be circumvented by an application for a fresh inquest under s.13.