When someone dies

View deaths referred to the Coroner, inquest hearings and conclusions

The role of the Coroner is to investigate and record the causes and circumstances of all sudden deaths where the cause is:

• Not known or
• Violent or
• Unnatural or
• Occurred when the deceased was in custody

The Coroner is an independent judicial officer.

Herefordshire Coroner's Service

The Herefordshire Coroner is James Bennett.

The Assistant Coroners are Roland JT Wooderson and Lindsey Tonks.

They are supported by:

Coroner's Clerk

• Administrative support is available on email coroners@herefordshire.gov.uk or telephone 01432 261813. 
  Administrative support is available to the public during the following hours:
  Monday to Friday 8.30am - 12.30pm

The Coroner's Officers are contactable Monday to Friday 8.30am – 3.30pm by telephone on 01432 261806 or by email at the following addresses:

Alison Evans - Coroner's Officer

• alison.evans@westmercia.police.uk

Sarah Sentinella - Coroner's Officer

• sarah.sentinella@westmercia.police.uk

The postal address is Coroner's Office, Town Hall, St Owen Street, Hereford HR1 2PJ

Outside the hours set out above, any sudden violent or unexpected deaths may be reported through any police officer.

About the Coroner

The Herefordshire Coroner sits at the Town Hall, Hereford.

He considers deaths in Herefordshire that are reported to him. Of the 2,000 or so deaths in the county each year approximately half are referred to the Coroner for consideration, some will necessitate a post mortem.

Of the cases referred, the Coroner will typically open an inquest in 100+ cases each year.

Some inquests proceed on the basis of evidence read by the Coroner. Interested persons may seek disclosure of the evidence prior to the inquest and/or request the Coroner give consideration to the person providing the evidence attending in person.

The Coroner endeavours to establish how the deceased died. Often this will be useful in understanding whether safe procedures or practices have been followed or can be improved.

The Coroner meets regularly with representatives from business, the police and hospitals to discuss ways in which deaths can be prevented or their number reduced, frequently using the knowledge gained from the inquest process. This leads to the adoption of new practices both within organisations and in our daily lives.

The Coroner, therefore, while endeavouring to provide a compassionate service for the bereaved, very much exists for the benefit of the living.

For more information on the role of a coroner and what to expect during a coroner's investigation, see the Ministry of Justice Guide to Coroner Services (pdf).

Deaths referred to the Coroner and Inquest hearings

Details of deaths referred to the Coroner and Inquest hearings are listed below.

Inquests may be listed at short notice and may not always appear on this page. If you are expecting an inquest to be listed and it does not appear please telephone or email the Coroner's office using the contact details above.

Opening of inquests and investigations in the current and previous month

Inquest and pre-inquest review hearings

All inquests will be held before a coroner sitting alone unless identified as before a jury.

Treasure inquests

The Coroner is also responsible for inquests in connection with Treasure. Set out below are those Treasure inquests currently being considered.