Deaths reported to a coroner

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 Coroner is Roland JT Wooderson.

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

Sarah Sentinella - Coroner's Officer

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 parties 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, inquest hearings and conclusions

Details of deaths referred to the Coroner, inquest hearings and conclusions 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

Date Venue Name of deceased Age at death Hearing type
1 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Gwendoline Ann Crosier 84 years Inquest
1 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Andrew George Munro 83 years Inquest
1 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Archibald Zac Onions 92 years Investigation
4 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Jean Mabel Murphy 78 years Investigation
6 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford David Leslie Axon 74 years Investigation
11 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Philip Charles Pearce 67 years Inquest
11 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Malcolm Richard Jay 76 years Inquest
13 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Edward Harry Turner 78 years Inquest
13 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Terence Powis 82 years Investigation
13 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Alan Edward Hammond 85 years Investigation
20 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Peter John Louis 87 years Inquest
20 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Michael Davies 27 years Inquest
20 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Terence Reginald Davis 79 years Inquest
20 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Christopher Colin Short 42 years Inquest
27 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Diana Margaret Quigley 87 years Inquest
29 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Stephen John Pinches 54 years Inquest
29 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Lily Gwyneth Ann Maguire 88 years Inquest
29 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Margaret Jean Macgregor 93 years Inquest
29 August 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Jeffrey Guy Gardner 86 years Inquest
3 September 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Ellie Amelia Rose Barton 1 day Investigation
3 September 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Jessica Emma Reed 27 years Investigation
4 September 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Diane Eileen Clements 74 years Investigation

Inquest and pre-inquest review hearings

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

Date Time Venue Name of deceased Age at death Place of death Coroner
15 September 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford Joy Daphne Drew 69 years County Hospital, Hereford James Bennett
17 September 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford Trevor John Edward Whitefoot 80 years Hereford James Bennett
22 September 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford Lynda Jeanette Marston 67 years Hereford James Bennett
24 September 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford Edna Morris 93 years County Hospital, Hereford James Bennett
26 September 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford Clayton Davies 49 years Hereford James Bennett
29 September 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford Gavin Antony Pugh 44 years Hereford James Bennett
15 October 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford Adam Lee Selway 31 years Ross-on-Wye James Bennett
22 October 2025 11am Town Hall, Hereford David Morgan Rees 67 years Kington James Bennett
29 October 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford Lucy Elizabeth Butler 46 years County Hospital, Hereford James Bennett
10 November 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford Stuart Henry McKenzie 56 years County Hospital, Hereford James Bennett
17 November 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford John William Millar Dent 91 years County Hospital, Hereford James Bennett
25 November 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford Christopher Colin Short 42 years Hereford Roland J Wooderson
3 December 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford Michael Davies 27 years Hereford James Bennett
8 December 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford Terence Reginald Davis 79 years County Hospital, Hereford James Bennett
10 December 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford Philip Charles Pearce 67 years Herefordshire James Bennett
17 December 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford Malcolm Richard Jay 76 years Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham James Bennett

Treasure inquests

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

Description of find Hearing date Time