Category: inquests

Bar Council and Criminal Bar Association Brief Peers on Provisions Contained with the Coroners and Justice Bill – The Bar Council

Posted October 21st, 2009 in barristers, coroners, inquests, news by sally

“The Bar Council and the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) have sent a briefing paper to members of the House of Lords, bringing to their attention their continued concerns about some aspects of the Coroners and Justice Bill. The Bill, which will enter Report Stage in the House of Lords today, addresses a broad range of provisions within the criminal justice system, including the inquest system; clarifying the law on encouraging and assisting suicide; special measures for vulnerable and intimidated witnesses; the introduction of a Sentencing Council; and an enabling provision to regulate Damages Based Agreements (DBAs) through statutory instrument. The briefing paper, sent to members of the House of Lords as they return for the final few weeks of the 2008-9 parliamentary session, sets out the views of the Bar Council and CBA on these issues, which remain a concern to both organisations.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 21st October 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Drug overdose ‘was manslaughter’ – BBC News

Posted September 26th, 2009 in homicide, hospitals, inquests, negligence, news by sally

“A jury has returned an inquest verdict of ‘manslaughter by gross neglect’ on a woman killed by a chemotherapy dose four times too high.”

Full story

BBC News, 25th September 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘I just want the truth’ – BBC News

Posted September 25th, 2009 in complaints, inquests, news, police by sally

“In April 2005 an unarmed man was shot dead by police as he sat in the back of a car in north London. Four years later Azelle Rodney’s mother is still waiting for an inquest to be held.”

Full story

BBC News, 25th September 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Coroner condemns Rye Hill jail where prisoner on suicide watch bled to death – The Guardian

Posted September 24th, 2009 in inquests, news, prisons, suicide by sally

“A coroner today (23 September) condemned ‘appalling and unacceptable conditions’ at a privately-run prison where an inmate on suicide watch was allowed to bleed to death. Aleksey Baranovsky, 33, a Ukrainian national, died in a blood-covered cell at HMP Rye Hill, Warwickshire, in June 2006.”

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd September 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Father wins Iraq inquest review – BBC News

Posted July 22nd, 2009 in inquests, Iraq, judicial review, news by sally

“The father of a soldier killed in Iraq has won permission to challenge a coroner’s decision not to hold a full investigation into his son’s death.”

Full story

BBC News, 22nd July 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Doctors demand inquest into death of Dr David Kelly – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 13th, 2009 in inquests, news by sally

“A group of 13 doctors who believe that Dr David Kelly, the Government scientist, did not commit suicide, but was murdered, are launching a legal campaign to demand an inquest.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 13th July 2009

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Blast soldier unlawfully killed – BBC News

Posted July 8th, 2009 in Afghanistan, armed forces, inquests, news, unlawful killing by sally

“A Devon Territorial Army soldier who died when his vehicle hit a landmine in Afghanistan was unlawfully killed, an inquest has ruled.”

Full story

BBC News, 8th July 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

R (Allen) v Inner North London Coroner – WLR Daily

Posted July 2nd, 2009 in detention, human rights, inquests, law reports, mental health by sally

R (Allen) v Inner North London Coroner [2009] EWCA Civ 623; [2009] WLR (D) 219

“An inquest into the death of a patient who was detained in a hospital under s 3 of the Mental Health Act 1983 had to satisfy the enhanced requirements of art 2 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms which guaranteed the right to life.”

WLR Daily, 1st July 2009

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Grandmother cleared over baby killed by dogs – The Guardian

Posted June 25th, 2009 in accidents, dogs, inquests, news by sally

“Coroner records verdict of accidental death in case of three-month-old Joseph Mack, mauled while grandmother slept.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th June 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Who decides who owns your body? – BBC News

Posted June 24th, 2009 in burials and cremation, inquests, news by sally

“Steve Blum’s son Christopher was buried last November but he did not go to the funeral.

Mr Blum, who has always disputed the the pathologists’ finding of cot death as the cause of four-month-old Christopher’s death, wanted his son to remain in the North London mortuary where he had lain for 21 years until he could have the inquest he feels his son deserves.”

Full story

BBC News, 23rd June 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Does the Coroners and Justice Bill go far enough – and is there enough money – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 19th, 2009 in coroners, inquests, news by sally

“The Coroners and Justice Bill is the government’s attempt to implement that long-awaited reform. Some practitioners and pressure groups are concerned that the bill doesn’t go far enough, and that there isn’t enough money behind it to make it work. There is a real risk, they say, that this bill will come to be seen as a missed opportunity.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 18th June 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Call to publish 1979 death report – BBC News

Posted June 15th, 2009 in demonstrations, disclosure, inquests, news, police by sally

“A campaign group has called on the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson to publish a report into the death of a protester in 1979.”

Full story

BBC News, 14th June 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Menezes officer ‘did not deceive’ – BBC News

Posted May 27th, 2009 in complaints, firearms, inquests, news, police by sally

“A police officer who admitted altering his notes about the death of Jean Charles de Menezes has been cleared following an inquiry.”

Full story

BBC News, 26th May 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Coroners Bill: now the battle begins for legal aid and juries – The Times

Posted May 21st, 2009 in coroners, inquests, news by sally

“With Jack Straw’s dropping of plans this week for secret inquests, one of the big battles in the Coroners and Justice Bill has been fought and won. But the Justice Secretary’s move does not guarantee the Bill a trouble-free ride.”

Full story

The Times, 21st May 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

R (Smith) v Oxfordshire Assistant Deputy Coroner (Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening) – WLR Daily

Posted May 20th, 2009 in armed forces, human rights, inquests, law reports by sally

R (Smith) v Oxfordshire Assistant Deputy Coroner (Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening) [2009] EWCA Civ 441

“A British soldier on military service in Iraq was subject to the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom within the meaning of art 1 of the Human Rights Convention and as such benefited from the rights guaranteed by the Human Rights Act 1998. An inquest held into the soldier’s death was to be an enhanced inquest conforming to the procedural requirements of the right to life in art 2 of the Convention.”

WLR Daily, 19th May 2009

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note: once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Statement on amendments to the Coroners and Justice Bill – Ministry of Justice

Posted May 18th, 2009 in coroners, inquests, juries, press releases by sally

“Jack Straw has made a written ministerial statement concerning amendments to the Coroners and Justice Bill.”

Full statement

Ministry of Justice, 15th May 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Barristers Urge Peers to Strengthen Support for Bereaved Families in Coroners and Justice Bill – The Bar Council

Posted May 18th, 2009 in inquests, press releases by sally

“Bereaved families should have access to legal representation at inquests, the Bar Council and the Criminal Bar Association have told the House of Lords.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 18th May 2009

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Minister rejects calls for Deepcut deaths inquiry – The Guardian

Posted May 15th, 2009 in armed forces, inquests, news by sally

“The armed forces minister, Bob Ainsworth, rejected calls for a public inquiry into the deaths of four army recruits at the Deepcut barracks today after the publication of official investigations into two of the deaths.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th May 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New evidence over Deepcut deaths, says family – The Guardian

Posted May 13th, 2009 in armed forces, inquests, news by sally

“An official investigation into the death of an army recruit at the infamous Deepcut barracks contains new evidence that should be put before a coroner’s court or an independent inquiry, the father of the young soldier said today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th May 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

R (O’Connor) v HM Coroner for the District of Avon (Visser intervening) – WLR Daily

Posted May 11th, 2009 in inquests, insanity, law reports, standard of proof by sally

R (O’Connor) v HM Coroner for the District of Avon (Visser intervening) [2009] EWHC 854 (Admin); [2009] WLR(D); [2009] WLR (D) 150

“The test for a verdict of unlawful killing was not exclusively objective, it being necessary to find at least the mental element necessary for a criminal conviction of assault; and insanity, if properly raised on the evidence, had to be disproved to the criminal standard to sustain such a verdict.”

WLR Daily, 8th May 2009

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.