Introduction
An inquest is a Court hearing that is intended to answer four statutory questions:
- Who was the deceased?
- When did they die?
- Where did they die?
- How did their death come about?
An inquest is not a trial and it does not seek to apportion any criminal blame or civil liability.
An inquest is a fact finding enquiry that simply aims to gather information to allow the Coroner to answer these four questions.
Types of hearing
There are 3 types of inquest:
- Jury Inquest – A complex case where a jury is required, together with witnesses, legal representation for Interested Persons.
- Inquest – Is where witnesses are required to attend to present their evidence and have questions asked of them.
- Read Inquest – No witnesses are required to attend and the coroner will sit alone. The coroner reads aloud relevant selections of evidence. The inquest duration can be quite short and the coroner will hear a number of cases in succession.
You may be called to a Pre-Inquest Review. A Pre-Inquest Review (PIR) is a hearing that can be attended by Interested persons. The Coroner will not require witnesses to attend, as the hearing does not consider any evidence.
A Pre-Inquest Review will usually be held if there are particular issues of law or procedure that need to be determined by the Coroner before the final inquest. And so a Pre-Inquest Review is very much a case management or administrative hearing.
Inquest hearings are open to members of the public and the press to attend. You are welcome to be seated in the public gallery in Court on a first-come first-served basis.
If you are planning to attend an Inquest listed below, could you please either phone 01823 359271 or email coroner@somerset.gov.uk. It helps to have an indication of attendance in advance to make sure that we continue to comply with fire regulations and health and safety matters which apply to the court building.
Prior contact does not ‘reserve’ a seat and attendance is purely down to physical attendance on the day.
Inquest opening hearings - week beginning 2 June 2025
| Date and time | Name of deceased | Date of death | Age | Place of death | Hearing type | Court |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date and time2 June 2025 at 9.30am | Name of deceasedSally James | Date of death25 May 25 | Age69 | Place of deathLangport | Hearing typeOpening | CourtTaunton |
| Date and time2 June 2025 at 9.30am | Name of deceasedLewis Hodge | Date of death22 January 25 | Age33 | Place of deathBridgwater | Hearing typeOpening | CourtTaunton |
Inquests listed for final hearing June 2025
Taunton = Old Municipal Buildings, Corporation Street, Taunton TA1 4AQ
Wells = Wells Town Hall, Market Square, Wells, BA5 2RB
| Date and time | Deceased | Date of death | Age | Place of death | Type of hearing | Held at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date and time2 June 11.30am | DeceasedPamela Honeywill | Date of death03 September 2023 | Age83 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time3 June 10am | DeceasedStella Smith | Date of death12 April 2023 | Age0 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time4 June 10am | DeceasedKelly Faiers | Date of death15 October 2023 | Age61 | Place of deathMinehead | Type of hearingPre-Inquest Review | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time4 June 1.30pm | DeceasedRichard Scatchard | Date of death04 April 2024 | Age71 | Place of deathWatchet | Type of hearingPre-Inquest Review | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time5 June 10am | DeceasedHerbert Gamlin | Date of death23 October 2024 | Age86 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time5 June 12pm | DeceasedRosemary Francis | Date of death24 July 2024 | Age62 | Place of deathWestonzoyland | Type of hearingRead inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time5 June 2pm | DeceasedJohn Middleton | Date of death15 December 2024 | Age79 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time5 June 10am | DeceasedMary Stokes | Date of death27 December 2024 | Age64 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atWells |
| Date and time5 June 11.30am | DeceasedDorothy Lester | Date of death07 December 2024 | Age64 | Place of deathBurnham-on-Sea | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atWells |
| Date and time5 June 2.30pm | DeceasedJack Negus | Date of death27 January 2025 | Age31 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atWells |
| Date and time9 June 10am | DeceasedJamie Bambrough | Date of death28 January 2024 | Age31 | Place of deathChard | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time9 June 10am | DeceasedJack Knowles | Date of death28 January 2024 | Age30 | Place of deathChard | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time9 June 2pm | DeceasedNatalie Chaffey | Date of death27 July 2024 | Age32 | Place of deathAxbridge | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time10 June 10am | DeceasedCorinne Chadburn | Date of death02 April 2024 | Age76 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time11 June 11am | DeceasedMary Higginbotham | Date of death23 October 2024 | Age105 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time12 June 10am | DeceasedAnne Nash | Date of death19 September 2023 | Age86 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time16 June 10am | DeceasedChloe Jackson | Date of death22 May 2024 | Age26 | Place of deathHighbridge | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time16 June 12pm | DeceasedRobert Wade | Date of death18 September 2024 | Age66 | Place of deathAlderney, Channel Islands | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time16 June 2pm | DeceasedEdward Bird | Date of death29 October 2024 | Age93 | Place of deathCrewkerne | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time17 June 10am | DeceasedUrsula Thomas | Date of death12 January 2025 | Age87 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time17 June 12pm | DeceasedJohn Taton | Date of death16 September 2024 | Age68 | Place of deathWincanton | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time17 June 2pm | DeceasedRichard Kennaugh | Date of death27 January 2025 | Age64 | Place of deathFrome | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time18-20 June 10am | DeceasedMichael Kerslake | Date of death19 September 2023 | Age74 | Place of deathSwansea | Type of hearingJury | Held atWells |
| Date and time18 June 10am | DeceasedJohn Godrich | Date of death19 February 2025 | Age94 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time18 June 12pm | DeceasedIan Primrose | Date of death12 February 2025 | Age84 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time18 June 2.30pm | DeceasedAlan Biggs | Date of death23 November 2024 | Age99 | Place of deathBurnham on Sea | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time23 June 10am | DeceasedMichael Trott | Date of death09 May 2023 | Age52 | Place of deathWells | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time23 June 12pm | DeceasedShirley Crowther | Date of death06 August 2024 | Age86 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time23 June 2pm | DeceasedHarry Wright | Date of death05 August 2024 | Age21 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time24-26 June 10am | DeceasedLouis Daimasso | Date of death02 August 2023 | Age39 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingInquest | Held atWells |
| Date and time24 June 10am | DeceasedKevin Parker | Date of death11 November 2024 | Age66 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time24 June 12pm | DeceasedAndrew Pattemore | Date of death18 September 2024 | Age49 | Place of deathIlminster | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time24 June 2pm | DeceasedMalcolm Carter | Date of death04 September 2024 | Age59 | Place of deathMinehead | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time26 June 10am | DeceasedLibby Valentine | Date of death29 April 2024 | Age23 | Place of deathBridgwater | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
Inquests listed for final hearing July 2025
Taunton = Old Municipal Buildings, Corporation Street, Taunton TA1 4AQ
Wells = Wells Town Hall, Market Square, Wells, BA5 2RB
| Date and time | Deceased | Date of death | Age | Place of death | Type of hearing | Held at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date and time1 July at 10am | DeceasedKarl Ashwood | Date of death26 July 2024 | Age52 | Place of deathFordgate | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time2 July at 10am | DeceasedShirley Campbell | Date of death21 November 2024 | Age85 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time2 July at 2pm | DeceasedBeryl Henson | Date of death20 December 2024 | Age90 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time3 July at 10am | DeceasedRichard Matthews | Date of death22 January 2024 | Age74 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time3 July at 1.30pm | DeceasedPauline Hooper | Date of death17 October 2024 | Age88 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time4 July at 10am | DeceasedJoan Hobbs | Date of death14 November 2024 | Age92 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time7-10 July at 10am | DeceasedKerrie Brown | Date of death28 June 2023 | Age33 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingInquest | Held atWells |
| Date and time7 July at 10am | DeceasedChristopher Carter | Date of death10 June 2024 | Age86 | Place of deathCrowcombe | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time10 July at 10am | DeceasedPeter Fewell | Date of death20 November 2024 | Age92 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time10 July at 12pm | DeceasedBrian Wells | Date of death16 November 2024 | Age88 | Place of deathShepton Mallet | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time10 July at 2pm | DeceasedEric Brooker | Date of death15 November 2024 | Age82 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time11 July at 10am | DeceasedCarol Anderson | Date of death7 June 2024 | Age51 | Place of deathGlastonbury | Type of hearingPre-Inquest Review | Held atWells |
| Date and time14-18 July at 10am | DeceasedMalcolm Baker | Date of death14 September 2022 | Age60 | Place of deathDulverton | Type of hearingJury Inquest | Held atWells |
| Date and time14 July at 10am | DeceasedAnn Pares | Date of death27 November 2024 | Age81 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time14 July at 12pm | DeceasedMichael Bendall | Date of death28 November 2024 | Age77 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time14 July at 2pm | DeceasedNorman Butler | Date of death22 November 2024 | Age83 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time15 July at 10am | DeceasedRichard Owen | Date of death27 November 2024 | Age70 | Place of deathMilverton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time15 July at 12.30pm | DeceasedSidney Gallacher | Date of death30 November 2024 | Age81 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time16 July at 10am | DeceasedWilliam Fairfax | Date of death4 December 2024 | Age59 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time16 July at 11.30am | DeceasedAnthony Moore | Date of death23 January 2025 | Age22 | Place of deathChard | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time16 July at 1.30pm | DeceasedGareth Mountjoy | Date of death2 December 2024 | Age69 | Place of deathRadstock | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time17 July at 10am | DeceasedRichard Peacock | Date of death16 December 2024 | Age80 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time17 July at 11.30am | DeceasedEsme Padgham | Date of death9 December 2024 | Age95 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time17 July at 2pm | DeceasedAlan Tucker | Date of death9 February 2025 | Age77 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time21-23 July at 10am | DeceasedPauline Acreman | Date of death10 June 2023 | Age66 | Place of deathAxbridge | Type of hearingInquest | Held atWells |
| Date and time21 July at 10am | DeceasedMarie Mynott | Date of death10 August 2023 | Age60 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time21 July 12pm | DeceasedChantelle Kentencimen | Date of death27 July 2024 | Age19 | Place of deathBurnham-on-Sea | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time21 July at 2pm | DeceasedMichael Hutchinson | Date of death4 July 2024 | Age49 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time22 July at 10am | DeceasedRichard Milverton | Date of death3 July 2024 | Age54 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time22 July at 12pm | DeceasedLiam Salisbury | Date of death3 July 2024 | Age27 | Place of deathCastle Cary | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time22 July at 2pm | DeceasedBrian Smith | Date of death5 July 2024 | Age66 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time23 July at 10am | DeceasedAngharad Axford | Date of death21 March 2024 | Age49 | Place of deathBurnham-on-Sea | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time23 July at 12pm | DeceasedTracy Galpin | Date of death21 July 2024 | Age57 | Place of deathSherborne | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time23 July at 2pm | DeceasedTomasz Strzelczyk | Date of death13 August 2024 | Age44 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time24 July 10am | DeceasedPhilip Whyman | Date of death17 May 2024 | Age75 | Place of deathStogumber | Type of hearingInquest | Held atWells |
| Date and time25 July at 10am | DeceasedDawn Fry | Date of death4 September 2023 | Age65 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingInquest | Held atWells |
| Date and time28 July at 10am | DeceasedOlivia Wilson | Date of death21 November 2024 | Age21 | Place of deathBurnham on Sea | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time28 July at 12pm | DeceasedChristopher Hawkins | Date of death15 January 2025 | Age57 | Place of deathIlminster | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time28 July at 2pm | DeceasedRobert Williams | Date of death30 June 2024 | Age46 | Place of deathMinehead | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time29 July at 10am | DeceasedAmy Manning | Date of death17 January 2024 | Age32 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time29 July at 10.30am | DeceasedNova-Ranah Perry | Date of death15 August 2023 | Age10 weeks | Place of deathWellington | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time30 July at 10am | DeceasedDeidre Gascoigne | Date of death29 September 2024 | Age83 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atWells |
| Date and time30 July at 12pm | DeceasedRobert Boobyer | Date of death12 August 2024 | Age69 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time30 July at 2pm | DeceasedChristina Barry | Date of death3 August 2024 | Age77 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time31 July at 9am | DeceasedJohn Clark | Date of death02 January 2025 | Age80 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time31 July at 10.30am | DeceasedNorman Rogers | Date of death28 December 2024 | Age77 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time31 July at 12pm | DeceasedMildred Coles | Date of death1 January 2025 | Age85 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
| Date and time31 July at 2pm | DeceasedDavid Elliot | Date of death25 October 2024 | Age46 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead | Held atTaunton |
What happens
During the Inquest hearing itself the Coroner will hear the evidence and, at the end of the Inquest, the Coroner will give their conclusion. All of the findings made by the Coroner are based on the evidence that they have heard and are on the basis of what is more likely to have happened than not. This is known as ‘on the balance of probabilities’.
This is the same standard of proof that is used in the civil courts, and so is lower than that used in criminal courts – where the Judge must be satisfied ‘beyond reasonable doubt’.
At the end of the Inquest the Coroner will complete the Record of Inquest. This is a publicly available document and contains answers to the four statutory questions.
In most cases the Coroner will sit alone but sometimes the Coroner will be required to sit with a jury.
Interested person
There is a statutory list of who is considered to be an interested person, but generally speaking interested persons are:
- Family of the deceased
- Anyone whose acts or omissions may have caused or contributed to the death
Interested persons are entitled to disclosure of the evidence to be heard at inquest and can attend the inquest and ask questions of the witnesses.
Remote attendance and inquests in writing
An Inquest and any related hearings (such as pre-inquest reviews, suspensions and adjournments) are held in open court, unless notification is given that the Inquest will be ‘in Writing’.
Interested Persons – Witnesses – Advocates
Interested persons, witnesses and advocates should attend the inquest and any related hearings in person. They should be present physically in Court.
If you are an ‘interested person’, witness or advocate and you wish to attend the hearing remotely then you must:
- Email a written application to the Coroner: coroner@somerset.gov.uk
- The application must be made at the earliest possible opportunity, but no later than 10 clear working days before the listed hearing.
- The application should clearly set out the reasons why you are unable to attend in person and why remote access should be given.
On receipt of an application within the time limits stated above, the Coroner will:
- Seek the views of the interested persons and any advocates.
- Deliver a ruling on the application.
- If the application is granted and the matter is listed in a Court that has facilities for remote attendance, then the remote link will be made available to you by court staff.
The Coroner will be more likely to permit remote attendance where:
- Remote attendance would improve the quality of the evidence given.
- Remote attendance would allow the inquest to proceed more expediently.
- Remote attendance is the only way to enable participation (that is, the applicant has emigrated and now lives abroad).
- There is the capacity and technological capability to enable remote attendance at that particular hearing.
- Allowing remote attendance would not create an unreasonable administrative burden.
In reaching a decision the coroner will also consider:
- Whether remote attendance will impede the questioning of a witness.
- The balance to be struck between the interests of justice and the interests of those attending the hearing.
Press and members of the public
From 28 June 2022 it became lawful for members of the public and the press to join hearings remotely. Should you wish to make an application then you must:
- Make a written application to the Coroner using this email address: coroner@somerset.gov.uk
- The application must be made at the earliest possible opportunity, but no later than 10 clear working days before the listed hearing.
- The application should clearly set out the reasons why you should be granted remote access.
General advice concerning remote access
Please note that there is currently only one Courtroom in Taunton that allows for the use of remote access. The Coroner also has potential access to a second Courtroom in Wells but this is only used for Jury cases and larger inquests by prior agreement. There is sufficient room in the Court to physically accommodate members of the public and press, within reason.
As such, we recommend that anyone wanting to attend an Inquest hearing does not rely on remote access being available.
Where remote access is permitted, a link to access the proceedings will be sent by email, along with a set of guidelines for conduct. Please familiarise yourself with these in advance.
Jury Service
When a Coroner hears an Inquest, they will normally sit alone. However, in certain circumstances the Coroner may be required to sit with a Jury. This is made of between seven and eleven randomly selected members of the public who will act as the ‘judges of fact’ in the particular case. They will be under the legal direction of the Coroner and it will be they, rather than the Coroner, who reach and return the Conclusion at the end of the Inquest.
Potential jury members are screened for any matters within their personal circumstances which may compromise their ability to remain impartial. If the Coroner believes that they may not be able to remain true to their oath to diligently enquire into the death of the deceased, the Coroner can choose to discharge a particular juror from the selection pool before the Inquest starts. It may also become necessary to discharge a juror part way through an Inquest, but this decision is not taken lightly.
An Inquest is not a trial. It is an inquisitorial process rather than an adversarial one. The purpose of any Inquest is not to determine any civil or criminal blame or liability, and so no one is on trial.
If you are called to be part of a jury – if you receive a Jury Summons
Once you have been selected, you will be notified in writing that you are required to attend the Court and sit as a juror. You will then be sent a set of instructions as to what you will need to do, along with a form that you must return to the Court. You can contact the Somerset Coroner’s office if you have any questions when you receive the instructions and the form.
If you are employed, you will need to let your employer know that you will not be able to attend work during the days on which you are sitting as a juror. You will need to make sure that your employer will pay you in your absence from work, as the Court will not pay you for completing your jury service. However, in cases where your employer is unwilling to pay you, you can make a claim for loss of earnings as a result of being absent from work. This arrangement also applies if you are self-employed. There are limits as to the amount that you can be paid and these are set out in law. For more information, you can look at the jury service page of the GOV.UK website.
As a serving juror then you will also be given a daily allowance to cover food and drink. In certain circumstances then you may also be able to claim travel expenses. Please visit the jury service page of GOV.UK for more about these expenses.
What happens if you want to delay your jury service
In exceptional circumstances (such as having a pre-booked holiday, which you will need to provide documentary evidence of) then the Coroner may allow you to postpone your jury service. You will not be allowed more than one postponement.
If you think that you are unable to carry out jury service for the dates that you have been called for and you wish to make an application to postpone it, then you should contact the Coroner’s Office as soon as possible, setting out your full reasons and sending in any proof of your reason for non-attendance on this occasion. Contact details are available on this website. They will also be sent out on the notification letter that you received.
