“Justice Minister Bridget Prentice has said that the government remains committed to reforming the coroners system, placing the bereaved firmly at the centre of the process.”
Ministry of Justice, 27th March 2008
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
“Defence Secretary Des Browne yesterday asked the High Court to outlaw the use of language strongly critical of the MoD in inquest verdicts on soldiers who have died on active service.”
The Independent, 18th March 2008
Source: www.independent.co.uk
“Coroners are blocking government plans to test tens of thousands of bodies undergoing postmortem examinations each year for signs of variant CJD, the human form of BSE. Their involvement is essential for a research programme, backed by ministers, senior scientific advisers and an independent ethical committee, to establish the long-term public health threat from the incurable disease. Although only 166 people have so far died from vCJD in Britain, scientists are seeking to find out whether many more are unwittingly carrying the long-incubating condition, posing significant risk to others through surgery and blood transfusion.”
The Guardian, 11th February 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“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.”
The Times, 17th January 2008
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“The bodies of children who die suddenly are being illegally transported hundreds of miles to have a postmortem examination because there are only 40 qualified paediatric pathologists, it is revealed today. The practice breaches the Coroner’s Rules, which make it illegal to move a body beyond an adjoining district to the one in which the death occurred.”
The Guardian, 4th January 2008
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“A judge has launched an extraordinary attack on the laws governing the inquest into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, describing them as ‘antiquated rubbish’.”
Daily Telegraph, 17th November 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“Bereaved relatives of fallen troops are dismayed that an expected Coroners Bill was left out of the Queen’s Speech.”
The Times, 7th November 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Whether jury can be trusted
“While facts were for the jury, coroners were entitled to consider whether it was safe to leave a particular verdict on the evidence to the jury.”
The Times, 13th August 2007
Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.
“Ministers bowed to pressure yesterday and promised to provide extra funding for hard-pressed coroners’ courts holding inquests into military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
The Times, 13th July 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“The coroner for Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed’s inquests has said he will not involve the Queen or the Duke of Edinburgh in the case at this stage.”
BBC News, 9th July 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
R (Pereira) v. HM Coroner for Inner South London and others
“A coroner’s power to adjourn an inquest under s 16(1)(b) of the Coroner’s Act 1988 was discretionary. Where a reason not to adjourn had been established, a decision to do so made in the exercise of that discretion could not be impugned by way of judicial review provided that the decision had been made rationally, taking into account all relevant matters and in the light of the state’s duty to investigate a death under art 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights.”
WLR Daily, 14th June 2007
Source: www.lawreports.co.uk
“The new coroner for the inquest into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales yesterday pledged an “open, fair and transparent” inquiry – then immediately attempted to gag the press.”
Daily Telegraph, 14th June 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“A preliminary hearing is due to be held to prepare the way for a full inquest into the deaths of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed.”
BBC News, 13th June 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“The new coroner for the inquests into the deaths of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed has been formally appointed.”
BBC News, 11th June 2007
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
“A pathologist involved in the Harold Shipman murder case today launched a stinging attack on the government’s proposed reforms to the coroner system, claiming they will do nothing to prevent another such killer.”
The Guardian, 17th May 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The inquests of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dodi Fayed suffered a fresh blow yesterday when Baroness Butler-Sloss dramatically announced that she was stepping down as coroner.”
The Times, 25th April 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
“Baroness Butler-Sloss is to step down as coroner for the Diana inquest, it was announced today.”
Daily Telegraph, 24th April 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“The death of eight British servicemen in an American helicopter crash at the start of the Iraq war was due to mechanical failure, and not pilot error as the US has claimed, an Oxford coroner ruled yesterday.”
The Guardian, 20th April 2007
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
“The inquest into the death of Neil Coulbeck, who worked with the Natwest Three, has been set for May 23, 10 months after the banker was found hanged near his home.”
Daily Telegraph, 19th April 2007
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
“The senior QC who led the inquiry into the Alder Hey stolen organs scandal has been appointed to investigate news that the Sellafield nuclear site secretly stored and tested tissues and organs taken from the bodies of dead employees.”
The Times, 18th April 2007
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
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