Skip to main content
Somerset County Council logo
Menu
Close menu
  • Home
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
  • Births, ceremonies and deaths
    • Births

      Includes registering a birth and ordering certificates

    • Marriages and ceremonies

      Includes ordering certificates and approved premises

    • Deaths

      Includes ordering certificates and tell us once service

  • Social care and health
    • Fostering and adoption

      Includes applying to adopt, becoming a foster carer and private fostering information

    • Carers

      Includes help, advice and support for carers

    • Adult social care

      Includes information for people who are 18 or over who have care and support needs

    • Help to live at home

      Includes equipment, care and support

    • Children’s social care

      Includes help for families and young people

    • Health and wellbeing

      Includes sexual health, preventing substance misuse and healthy workplaces

    • Public health

      Includes health checks, campaigns and mental health support

    • Safeguarding

      Includes protecting adults and children at risk

    • Housing options

      Includes care homes and sheltered housing

    • Specialist Public Health Nursing

      Includes information about health visitors, school nurses and public health nursing

  • Education and families
    • Adult learning

      Includes information about training courses across Somerset

    • Route1 advocacy

      Providing advice and support to children and young people

    • Choosing a school

      Includes information about catchment areas and admissions policies

    • School applications

      Includes information about applying to start school and moving to a different school

    • School life

      Includes term and holiday dates, exclusions and school activities

    • Childcare

      Includes entitlements, the support available and the latest childcare news

    • Fostering and adoption

      Includes applying to adopt, becoming a foster carer and private fostering information

    • Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

      Includes our Local Offer and the services available

    • School transport

      Includes information about different types of school transport and how to apply

    • Children

      Includes employing children, child protection and corporate parenting

  • Roads and transport
    • Problems on the road

      Includes how to report potholes, flooding and traffic lights

    • Signs and streetlights

      Includes speed limits, road signs and how to report faulty lights

    • Parking

      Includes paying or challenging a fine, blue badges and permits

    • Public and community transport

      Includes bus passes and park and ride information

    • School transport

      Includes information about different types of school transport and how to apply

    • Road projects

      We deliver Major Highway Schemes which have been identified through the Local Transport Plan (LTP) process

    • Rights of way

      Includes footpaths, bridleways and open access lands

    • Road works and road closures

      Includes information about plans for temporary and new works and closures

    • Road safety

      Includes how we work to make our roads safer

  • Libraries, community and leisure
    • Planning for Brexit

      What we are doing to plan for the UK leaving the European Union

    • Libraries

      Includes library membership, services and events

    • Volunteering

      Includes how to get involved in community activities and projects

    • Heritage

      Includes museums, records and archaeology

    • Safer communities

      Includes making your home safer and community safer

    • Community initiatives

      Includes community initiatives and community right to challenge

  • Waste, planning and land
    • Planning

      Includes applying for planning permission and reporting unauthorised developments

    • Waste

      Includes waste collections and recycling

    • Property

      Includes information about county farms and our land and building assets

    • Flooding and drainage

      Includes how we support flood prevention and planning

    • Rights of way

      Includes footpaths, bridleways and open access lands

    • Countryside

      Includes Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, walking and cycling

    • Emergencies

      Includes information about planning for emergencies

  • Business and economy
    • Do business with the Council

      Includes current business and contact opportunities

    • Supporting businesses

      Includes registering as a childminder and support and advice for businesses

    • Procurement

      Includes how we procure goods, services and works

    • Licences

      Includes approved premises licenses and permission for decorations on the road

  • Our information
    • Freedom of information

      Includes how to ask us questions about what we do

    • How we use your information

      Includes the information we hold about you and how we protect it

    • Accessing our information

      Includes Data Protection and the re-use of our information

    • Have your say

      Includes petitions and ongoing consultations

  • How the council works
    • Our plans

      Includes the County Plan and the Business Plan

    • Democracy

      Includes Councillors, meetings and elections

    • Our finances

      Includes our budgeting and spending information

    • Partnerships and Trusts

      Includes how we work with other organisations

    • Our performance

      Includes how we set and meet our goals and your feedback

    • Local Government Reorganisation in Somerset

      The future of Local Government in Somerset

  • Jobs and Careers
  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy notices and cookies

About your new Somerset Council
Your local council and this website will be changing from the 1 April 2023
Read more about the changes here

Home Births, ceremonies and deaths Inquest Hearings
BETA

We're changing these pages to make them easier to read, help us improve our content.

Inquest Hearings

Information about inquests, attendance and inquests and if you are called for jury service

  • Introduction

  • Inquests opening - week beginning Monday 20 March 2023

  • Inquests listed for final hearing - March 2023

  • Inquests listed for final hearing - April 2023

  • What happens

  • Interested Person

  • Remote attendance and Inquests in Writing

  • Jury Service

  • Contact

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.

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 ensure 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.

Inquests opening - week beginning Monday 20 March 2023

There are no opening hearings listed for the week beginning 20 March 2023.

Inquests listed for final hearing - March 2023

OMB = Old Municipal Building, Corporation Street, Taunton TA1 4AQ
Wells = Wells Town Hall, Market Square, Wells BA5 2RB

Date and timeDeceasedAgeDate of deathPlace of deathType of hearingHeld at
1 March at 10am David
Howard
8417 August 2022Musgrove Park HospitalInquest hearingOMB
1 March at 12.30pm David
Manning
6725 July 2022Monkton Heathfield
Inquest hearingOMB
1 March at 3pm Gloria
Karby
8715 April 2022YeovilInquest hearingOMB
7 March at 10am Jillian
Spanner
799 May 2021Musgrove Park HospitalInquest hearingOMB
8 March at 10am Ivy
Hall
9114 August 2022Yeovil District HospitalInquest hearingOMB
8 March at 12.30pm Brian
Hillburn
7520 August 2022Musgrove Park HospitalInquest hearingOMB
8 March at 2.30pmHarold
Selway
8010 November 2022Musgrove Park HospitalInquest hearingOMB
9 March at 10am Lorna
Curtis
1925 January 2021Musgrove Park HospitalInquest hearingOMB
10 March at 10am Pauline
Hall
9819 October 2022Yeovil District HospitalInquest hearingOMB
10 March at 12.30pm Bryn
Jones
5720 October 2022BridgwaterInquest hearingOMB
10 March at 2.30pm Bashir
Attah
411 November 2022Norton FitzwarrenInquest hearingOMB
13 March at 10amMichelle
Sealey
442 September 2022TauntonInquest hearingOMB
13 March at 12.30pm Irene
White
7720 October 2022FromeInquest hearingOMB
13 March at 2.30pm Susan
Irwin
8626 October 2022Musgrove Park HospitalInquest hearingOMB
14 March at 10amAtticus
Bartlett
5 weeks23 July 2022Bristol Children’s’ HospitalInquest hearingOMB
15 March at 10amMartyn
Davies
7212 August 2022Yeovil District HospitalInquest hearingOMB
15 March at 1pmIvy
Barber
912 March 2022Yeovil District HospitalInquest hearingOMB
15 March at 2.30pmVera
Rowe
912 March 2022Yeovil District HospitalInquest hearingOMB
16 March at 10amTadeusz
Marcinkowski
3711 January 2020Southmead Hospital BristolPre-Inquest review hearing. Inquest hearing.OMB
16 March at 2pmRoger
Gaylard
7330 October 2022Musgrove Park HospitalInquest hearingOMB
17 March at 10amAnthony
Trollope-Bellew
6928 October 2022TauntonInquest hearingOMB
17 March at 12pmRuth
Cameron-Baillie
8030 October 2022Yeovil District HospitalInquest hearingOMB
17 March at 2.30pmCallum
Buchanan
3226 September 2022MineheadInquest hearingOMB
20 March to 24 March 10am to 4pmStuart
Coburn
4322 August 2016IraqInquest hearingWells
24 March at 10amColin
Comrie
5530 October 2022MineheadInquest hearingOMB
24 March at 12.30pmCallum
Chedzoy
3311 November 2022North CurryInquest hearingOMB
24 March at 2.30pmKevin
Berney-Perez
2311 November 2022MineheadInquest hearingOMB
27 March to 31 March 10am to 4pmStuart
Coburn
4322 August 2016IraqInquest hearingWells
31 March at 10amJulian
Steventon
836 November 2022Yeovil District HospitalInquest hearingOMB
31 March at 12pmGary
Bram
7617 September 2022YeovilInquest hearingOMB
31 March at 1pmPhillip
Hill
6930 June 2022Musgrove Park HospitalInquest hearingOMB

Inquests listed for final hearing - April 2023

OMB = Old Municipal Building, Corporation Street, Taunton TA1 4AQ
Wells = Wells Town Hall, Market Square, Wells BA5 2RB

Date and timeDeceasedAgeDate of deathPlace of deathType of hearingHeld at
5 April at 10amSimon
Passmore
6120 April 2022MineheadInquest hearingOMB
5 April at 1pmAnthony
Fielding
7425 August 2022DraytonInquest hearingOMB
11 April at 10amLynn
Shirreff
758 August 2022IlminsterInquest hearingOMB
12 April at 10amNoreen
Race
7728 November 2021Musgrove Park Hospital Inquest hearingOMB
12 April at 1pmJames
Ward
7114 December 2021MineheadInquest hearingOMB
13 April at 10amDeborah
Richards
6127 August 2022BridgwaterInquest hearingOMB
13 April at 12pmMenna
Cameron
8928 August 2022Musgrove Park HospitalInquest hearingOMB
13 April at 2pmIan
Harris
8015 September 2022Musgrove Park HospitalInquest hearingOMB
14 April at 10amReginald
Collins
9713 December 2022Yeovil District HospitalInquest hearingOMB
14 April at 11.30am Carole
Aston
7914 December 2022 Yeovil District HospitalInquest hearingOMB
14 April at 1pmCharles
Caple
7711 December2022Musgrove Park Hospital Inquest hearingOMB
17 April at 10amAuriol
Figg
779 October 2015 Yeovil District HospitalPre-Inquest review hearingOMB
18 April at 9amPeter
Tettmar
799 January 2023YeovilInquest hearingOMB
18 April at 10amEdward
Bonfield
468 August 2022Southmead HospitalInquest hearingOMB
18 April at 3pmLuke
Parsons
2919 July 2022StreetInquest hearingOMB
19 April at 10amJoanna
Hillard
6425 February 2021LangportInquest hearingOMB
19 April at 3pmJake
Jarvis
329 October 2022TauntonInquest hearingOMB
24 April at 10amSimon
Edney
5930 July 2022Musgrove Park Hospital Inquest hearingOMB
24 April at 3pmDaniel
Sandford
3229 August 2022TauntonInquest hearingOMB
25 April at 9amJoan
King
8021 December 2022Musgrove Park Hospital Inquest hearingOMB
25 April at 10amSarah
Baker
2918 August 2022WincantonInquest hearingOMB
25 April at 1.30pmRoy
Pearce
9215 October 2022Musgrove Park Hospital Inquest hearingOMB
25 April at 3pmJoanne
Healy
5829 September 2022BridgwaterInquest hearingOMB
26 April at 10amTerence
Davies
8811 May 2022Yeovil District HospitalInquest hearingOMB
27 April at 10amElaine
Hill
664 October 2021HighbridgeInquest hearingOMB
27 April at 1.30pmMary
Townsend
892 July 2022Musgrove Park Hospital Inquest hearingOMB
28 April at 10amJamie
Hartley
3715 December 2022BridgwaterInquest hearingOMB
28 April at 12pmJill
Peters
628 September 2022HighbridgeInquest hearingOMB
28 April at 2pmJeanne
Bradley
9417 December 2022Musgrove Park Hospital Inquest hearingOMB

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 – which 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.

No one has the right to observe a hearing remotely. Individuals are entitled to apply for permission and applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis and they may be refused.

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 Court room in Taunton that allows for the use of remote access. The Coroner also has potential access to a second Court room 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.

Please note that it is a summary offence and contempt of court to record or transmit the proceedings and any images of any person attending the proceedings. If any person records or broadcasts all or any part of the proceedings they will be committing a criminal offence.

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 and, 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 isn’t 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.

Attending as a juror is not optional, it is a civil obligation that you are required to perform. Failing to return the completed form or to attend and serve on the jury is punishable by a fine of up to £1000.

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.

Feedback - was this information helpful?

    We will use your feedback to improve this website. Please tell us if we have got something wrong, if there is something missing or if something isn't working.

    You can tell us about this on the complaints, comments and compliments page.



    scc logo

    Built by the SCC Digital Service

    • v1.11
    • Contact us
    • Accessibility
    • Privacy notices and cookies

    We use cookies to improve your browsing experience on our website and to analyse our traffic. By clicking accept, you consent to this. If you do not click accept you can continue to use our website without cookies. If you wish to remove your consent at any time, please clear your local storage.