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 14 April 2025
Date and time | Deceased | Date of death | Age | Place of death | Type of hearing | Held at |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date and time14 April at 9.30am | DeceasedCyril Dalley | Date of death3 April 2025 | Age83 | Place of deathCrewkerne | Type of hearingOpening | Held atTaunton |
Date and time14 April at 9.30am | DeceasedVirginia MCauslene | Date of death17 March 2025 | Age53 | Place of deathFrome | Type of hearingOpening | Held atTaunton |
Date and time16 April at 9.30am | DeceasedAaron Cox | Date of death25 November 2023 | Age27 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Type of hearingOpening | Held atTaunton |
Date and time16 April at 9.30am | DeceasedConnor Graham | Date of death8 April 2025 | Age24 | Place of deathSouthmead Hospital | Type of hearingOpening | Held atTaunton |
Date and time16 April at 9.30am | DeceasedBarbara Howells | Date of death30 March 2025 | Age76 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Type of hearingOpening | Held atTaunton |
Date and time16 April at 9.30am | DeceasedRosemary Kerin | Date of death6 April 2025 | Age88 | Place of deathFrome | Type of hearingOpening | Held atTaunton |
Date and time16 April at 9.30am | DeceasedArthur Townsend | Date of death8 April 2025 | Age79 | Place of deathGlastonbury | Type of hearingOpening | Held atTaunton |
Inquests listed for final hearing April 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 April at 9.30am | DeceasedJasmit Harrar | Date of death23 May 2024 | Age38 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time1 April at 10am | DeceasedGeoffrey Hector | Date of death28 December 2024 | Age77 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atWells |
Date and time1 April at 12pm | DeceasedGeorge Robins | Date of death24 May 2024 | Age87 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atWells |
Date and time1 April at 2pm | DeceasedBenjamin Bolter | Date of death22 May 2024 | Age57 | Place of deathWells | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atWells |
Date and time2 April at 10am | DeceasedDaniel Cussans | Date of death15 July 2022 | Age43 | Place of deathPamplona | Type of hearingPre-Inquest Review Hearing 2 | Held atTaunton |
Date and time3 April at 10am | DeceasedKatelyn Sanger | Date of death12 July 2024 | Age27 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atWells |
Date and time3 April at 12pm | DeceasedTia Moore | Date of death2 October 2024 | Age61 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atWells |
Date and time3 April at 2pm | DeceasedCarlole Centamore | Date of death14 May 2024 | Age69 | Place of deathYeovil District Hospital | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atWells |
Date and time4 April 10am | DeceasedAdam Jackson | Date of death14 June 2024 | Age39 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atWells |
Date and time7-11 April at 10am | DeceasedLisa-Ra Perkins | Date of death13 August 2023 | Age34 | Place of deathSomerton | Type of hearingInquest | Held atWells |
Date and time7 April at 10am | DeceasedPaul Parsons | Date of death10 September 2024 | Age51 | Place of deathChard | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time7 April at 12pm | DeceasedOliver Tonglet | Date of death4 September 2024 | Age29 | Place of deathTaunton | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time7 April at 2pm | DeceasedJane Whittaker | Date of death 30 September 2024 | Age82 | Place of deathLangport | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time8 April at 10am | DeceasedHilary Hooper | Date of death20 June 2024 | Age80 | Place of deathNorth Curry | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time9 April at 10am | DeceasedAngela Myerscough-Walker | Date of death23 July 2024 | Age82 | Place of deathWincanton | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time9 April at 12pm | DeceasedAlexander Cater | Date of death19 July 2024 | Age93 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time9 April at 2pm | DeceasedRichard Shutt | Date of death14 September 2024 | Age39 | Place of deathCounty Down Northern Ireland | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time10 April at 10am | DeceasedReginald Hole | Date of death9 August 2024 | Age93 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time10 April at 12pm | DeceasedVentura Williams | Date of death9 December 2024 | Age58 | Place of deathBurnham-on-Sea | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time10 April at 2pm | DeceasedTijesuni Eyitao | Date of death20 December 2024 | Age0 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time11 April at 10am | DeceasedAaron Carey | Date of death8 September 2024 | Age33 | Place of deathYeovil | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time11 April at 2pm | DeceasedAnthony Osmond | Date of death5 October 2024 | Age88 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time14 April at 10am | DeceasedSheila Orme | Date of death18 September 2024 | Age90 | Place of deathYeovil District Hospital | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time14 April at 1.30pm | DeceasedMicah Stephenson | Date of death20 April 2024 | Age28 | Place of deathNorth Petherton | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time15 April at 2pm | DeceasedColin Gardner | Date of death15 December 2024 | Age64 | Place of deathNorton Fitzwarren | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time15 April at 3pm | DeceasedIan Nield | Date of death 7 January 2025 | Age79 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time16 April at 10am | DeceasedDexter Fulcher | Date of death1 June 2024 | Age28 | Place of deathIlminster | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time16 April at 2.30pm | DeceasedKevin White | Date of death16 July 2024 | Age54 | Place of deathButleigh | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time22-23 April at 10am | DeceasedMary Graham | Date of death11 September 2019 | Age81 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time22 April at 10am | DeceasedMichal Mokrzecki | Date of death15 May 2024 | Age41 | Place of deathWells | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time22 April at 1pm | DeceasedHoward Pierce | Date of death 20 September 2024 | Age80 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time22 April at 2pm | DeceasedGeoffrey Clarke | Date of death25 December 2024 | Age64 | Place of deathAxbridge | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time23 April at 10am | DeceasedLorraine Hicks | Date of death13 May 2024 | Age54 | Place of deathBurnham-on-Sea | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time23 April at 12pm | DeceasedHenri Kekkonen | Date of death9 May 2024 | Age41 | Place of deathGlastonbury | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time23 April at 2pm | DeceasedRudolf Schmidheiny | Date of death27 August 2024 | Age75 | Place of deathMinehead | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time28 April at 10am | DeceasedPeter Edgecombe | Date of death22 May 2024 | Age69 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time28 April at 12pm | DeceasedFrederick Cathcart | Date of death30 December 2024 | Age24 | Place of deathHinton Saint George | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time28 April at 2pm | DeceasedDonald Foster | Date of death2 October 2024 | Age79 | Place of deathSouthmead Hospital | Type of hearingRead Inquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time29 April at 10am | DeceasedJean Waddon | Date of death21 May 2024 | Age88 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time30 April at 10am | DeceasedChristine Ibbotson | Date of death14 May 2024 | Age82 | Place of deathSouthmead Hospital | Type of hearingInquest | Held atTaunton |
Date and time30 April at 10am | DeceasedPaul Wells | Date of death25 June 2020 | Age39 | Place of deathHighbridge | Type of hearingPre-Inquest Review Hearing | Held atWells |
Inquests listed for final hearing May 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 | Hearing type | Court |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date and time1 May 10am | DeceasedTerrence Woodford | Date of death2 September 2024 | Age53 | Place of deathFrome | Hearing typeRead Inquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time1 May 1pm | DeceasedNova-Ranah Perry | Date of death13 August 2024 | Age10 weeks | Place of deathWellington | Hearing typeTBC | CourtTaunton |
Date and time6 May 10am | DeceasedHarold Spooner | Date of death25 September 2024 | Age83 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Hearing typeRead Inquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time6 May 12pm | DeceasedLynn Sweet | Date of death1 April 2024 | Age59 | Place of deathWoolavington | Hearing typeRead Inquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time6 May 2pm | DeceasedPaula Hiett-Powell | Date of death23 January 2024 | Age57 | Place of deathAxbridge | Hearing typeInquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time7 May 10am | DeceasedSally Alford | Date of death7 June 2024 | Age48 | Place of deathBridgwater | Hearing typeRead Inquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time8 May 10am | DeceasedBenjamin Bridges | Date of death12 September 2024 | Age48 | Place of deathBridgwater | Hearing typeRead Inquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time8 May 12pm | DeceasedDavid Harrison | Date of death26 July 2024 | Age78 | Place of deathMinehead | Hearing typeInquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time8 May 2pm | DeceasedAndrew Derbyshire | Date of death2 July 2024 | Age35 | Place of deathBrent Knoll | Hearing typeTBC | CourtTaunton |
Date and time12-16 May 10am | DeceasedAron Nazari | Date of death8 May 2023 | Age31 | Place of deathMiddlezoy | Hearing typeInquest | CourtWells |
Date and time12 May 12pm | DeceasedPatricia Armory | Date of death25 September 2024 | Age82 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Hearing typeRead Inquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time12 May 2pm | DeceasedMichael Cornwall | Date of death10 August 2024 | Age41 | Place of deathStawell | Hearing typeRead Inquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time14 May 10am | DeceasedKathryn Ness-Pomroy | Date of death16 October 2024 | Age49 | Place of deathWedmore | Hearing typeInquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time14 May 2pm | DeceasedDiane Diamond | Date of death9 October 2024 | Age80 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Hearing typeInquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time19 May 10am | DeceasedAndrew Carless | Date of death15 August 2024 | Age44 | Place of deathA303 | Hearing typeRead Inquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time19 May 10am | DeceasedClaire Stride | Date of death15 August 2024 | Age64 | Place of deathA303 | Hearing typeRead Inquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time19 May 10am | DeceasedDennis Smith | Date of death15 August 2024 | Age71 | Place of deathA303 | Hearing typeRead Inquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time19-23 May 10am | DeceasedRangarirai Mugwira | Date of death22 November 2023 | Age53 | Place of deathNorton Fitwarren | Hearing typeInquest | CourtWells |
Date and time20-21 May 10am | DeceasedZoe Gardner | Date of death27 August 2024 | Age48 | Place of deathMusgrove Park Hospital | Hearing typeInquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time27 May 10am | DeceasedDonald Attwood | Date of death28 December 2024 | Age86 | Place of deathMinehead | Hearing typeInquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time27 May 11am | DeceasedWilliam Burroughs | Date of death27 September 2024 | Age60 | Place of deathFrome | Hearing typeTBC | CourtTaunton |
Date and time27 May 1pm | DeceasedMatthew Ball | Date of death29 October 2024 | Age51 | Place of deathCreech St Michael | Hearing typeRead Inquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time27 May 2.30pm | DeceasedEdwin Price | Date of death1 November 2024 | Age71 | Place of deathYeovil | Hearing typeTBC | CourtTaunton |
Date and time28 May 9.30am | DeceasedPeter Malcolm | Date of death2 June 2024 | Age52 | Place of deathCompton Dundon | Hearing typeInquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time28 May 2pm | DeceasedDestiny Stewart | Date of death15 December 2023 | Age53 | Place of deathTaunton | Hearing typeRead Inquest | CourtTaunton |
Date and time29 May 10am | DeceasedJean Turk | Date of death4 April 2024 | Age91 | Place of deathYeovil | Hearing typeInquest | CourtTaunton |
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.