Coroner blasts ‘unforgiveable’ MoD over death of soldier – The Times

Posted February 15th, 2008 in armed forces, inquests, news by sally

“The Ministry of Defence has come under withering fire from a coroner after an inquest into the death of a young officer in Afghanistan was told troops were having to fight the Taleban without enough machineguns and night-vision goggles.”

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The Times, 15th February 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Home Secretary Kenneth Clarke ‘blocked Diana Squidgygate tape inquiry’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 13th, 2008 in inquests, investigatory powers, news, royal family by sally

“The former home secretary Kenneth Clarke blocked security services from launching investigations into the notorious ‘Squidgygate’ and ‘Camillagate’ tapes because of fears it would damage the reputation of MI5.”

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Daily Telegraph, 12th February 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Inquest date set for Menezes case – BBC News

Posted February 11th, 2008 in inquests, news by sally

“The inquest into the death of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes will be held in September, it has been announced.”

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BBC News, 8th February 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

MPs’ anger over jury ban plans – BBC News

Posted February 7th, 2008 in inquests, juries, news by sally

“Government plans to give the home secretary powers to remove juries from some inquests are ‘astonishing’, an influential group of MPs says.”

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BBC News, 7th February 2008
Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Terrorism bill opens way for secret inquests – The Guardian

Posted February 4th, 2008 in inquests, news, terrorism by sally

“The government was yesterday criticised over plans to hold inquests without juries, which campaigners fear could limit hearings into the deaths of British soldiers and people shot by police.”

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The Guardian, 4th Febraury 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mental Health Campaign: Families demand full inquests for deaths in secure hospitals – The Independent

Posted January 28th, 2008 in hospitals, inquests, mental health, news by sally

“Hundreds of people with mental health problems are dying while detained in hospital but their deaths are not being fully investigated.”

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The Independent, 27th Janaury 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Diana’s inquest: is it money well spent? – The Times

Posted January 18th, 2008 in coroners, inquests, news by sally

“Despite all the flak the coroner chairing the inquest of the late Princess of Wales and Dodi Fayed is making the best of a difficult job.”

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The Times, 17th January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Coroner refuses MoD papers plea – BBC News

Posted January 15th, 2008 in armed forces, disclosure, inquests, news by sally

“A coroner has refused to return secret documents mistakenly handed to him by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), a pre-inquest hearing was told.”

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BBC News, 14th January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Muslim teenager unlawfully killed – The Guardian

Posted January 11th, 2008 in inquests, news, unlawful killing by sally

“The Muslim teenager Shafilea Ahmed, whose body was found on the banks of a river, was unlawfully killed, a coroner ruled today.”

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The Guardian, 11th January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Baby death blamed on government – BBC News

Posted January 11th, 2008 in health & safety, inquests, news by sally

“An inquest jury has blamed government failures for the death of a baby who was scalded when a water tank burst above her cot.”

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BBC News, 10th January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Council aware of boiler fault that killed baby – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 9th, 2008 in health & safety, inquests, news by sally

“A water tank that burst, pouring boiling water over a baby, was fitted with a thermostat which the local council knew was prone to failure, an inquest jury has heard.”

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Daily Telegraph, 9th January 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Girl found dead in river “had feared a forced marriage” – The Guardian

Posted January 9th, 2008 in forced marriages, inquests, news by sally

“The parents of a 17-year-old girl whose badly decomposed body was found in a river may have been trying to force her into marriage against her will, an inquest heard yesterday.”

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The Guardian, 9th January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Woman whose family history was overlooked died while giving birth – The Times

Posted January 9th, 2008 in birth, inquests, medical treatment, news by sally

“A woman died while giving birth after a clerical error left her without specialist medical care, despite both her mother and her aunt having been killed by the same rare condition at exactly the same age, an inquest was told yesterday.”

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The Times, 9th January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Regina (Main) v Minister for Legal Aid – Times Law Reports

Posted December 18th, 2007 in human rights, inquests, law reports, legal aid by sally

Regina (Main) v Minister for Legal Aid

Court of Appeal

“An inquest held in public was an inquisitorial, not an adversarial process and the coroner could reasonably be expected to carry out a proper investigation without the assistance of counsel for any victims’ families.”

The Times, 18th December 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Inner West London Assistant Deputy Coroner v Channel 4 Television Corporation and Another – Times Law Reports

Posted December 11th, 2007 in inquests, law reports, witnesses by sally

Inner West London Assistant Deputy Coroner v Channel 4 Television Corporation and Another

“Courts should avoid trying to fit a coroner’s application for a witness summons into the template of civil litigation; because of the inquisitorial nature of an inquest, a more flexible approach should be taken.”

The Times, 11th December 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note that the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Regina (Paul and Others) v Assistant Deputy Coroner of Inner West London – Times Law Reports

Posted December 11th, 2007 in hearsay evidence, inquests, law reports by sally

Regina (Paul and Others) v Assistant Deputy Coroner of Inner West London

Court of Appeal

“A coroner could not read to the jury hearsay evidence in documentary form which he considered likely to be disputed where the maker of the statement was unable to attend.”

The Times, 11th December 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk 

Please note that the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

No legal aid for Hercules inquest – BBC News

Posted December 10th, 2007 in armed forces, inquests, legal aid, news by sally

“Families of nine UK personnel killed in a plane shot down in Iraq will get no legal aid at an inquest but those of an Australian airman will, it has emerged.”

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BBC News, 9th December 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

R (Paul and others) v Assistant Deputy Coroner of Inner West London – WLR Daily

Posted December 4th, 2007 in evidence, inquests, law reports by sally

R (Paul and others) v Assistant Deputy Coroner of Inner West London [2007] EWCA Civ 1259

“R 37 of the Coroners Rules 1984 was a complete code as to when documents could be put directly in evidence by a coroner without calling a witness. Hearsay evidence in documentary form which the coroner considered likely to be disputed could not simply be read to the jury even where the maker of the statement was unable to attend but must be put in evidence by a witness.”

WLR Daily, 3rd December 2007

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.

R (Main) v Minister for Legal Aid – WLR Daily

Posted November 22nd, 2007 in human rights, inquests, law reports, legal aid by sally

R (Main) v Minister for Legal Aid [2007] EWCA Civ 1147

“In refusing an application for discretionary funding for full legal representation at an inquest into deaths following a rail accident, the Minister for Legal Aid had not acted irrationally in concluding that no significant wider public interest would be compromised, nor did the refusal constitute a breach of art 2 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.”

WLR Daily, 21st November 2007

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. 

Ellie’s death ‘unlawful killing’ – BBC News

Posted November 22nd, 2007 in children, inquests, unlawful killing by sally

“A coroner has ruled the death of a five-year-old Ellie Lawrenson in St Helens was unlawful killing.”

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BBC News, 21st November 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk