Western Morning News (Saturday)
New West coroners appointed
THE chief coroner of England and Wales has appointed three new coroners to investigate untimely deaths across the Devon, Cornwall and Dorset.
His Honour Judge Thomas Teague
QC welcomed the appointments of the independent judicial officers, one of the oldest positions of office dating back as far as the 12th century. Initially established as a medieval tax gatherer it has adapted over the following centuries to be one charged with the investigation of sudden, violent or unnatural deaths.
Coroners are appointed by the Crown, and invariably have qualifications and substantial experience as a lawyer, a medical doctor, or sometimes both.
However, they are employed by the local authority, aided by staff from the council carrying out administrative duties and with assistance from coroner’s officers who are employed by the regional police force.
Cornwall Council, as the relevant authority, has named Andrew Cox as the senior coroner for the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly coroner area.
His appointment was made following an open competition and after receiving the consent of the Chief Coroner and Lord Chancellor. Mr Cox was previously acting senior coroner and assistant coroner for Cornwall and had carried out assistant coroner duties in Plymouth.
In 2020 he called for urgent action following the tragic deaths of 17-yearold Gillian Davey, who was trapped under a boat near Padstow, and Michael Pender, who died while swimming in the sea off Treyarnon Bay.
At the time he wrote a report to prevent future deaths which was sent to the Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps, Brian Johnson, chief executive of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, and Mark Dowie, chief executive of the RNLI, stating that he felt they had “the power to take such action”. The report was written at a time when criticism surrounded the RNLI’s decision not to provide lifeguard cover on beaches on the Bank Holiday Monday, May 25.
Devon County Council has appointed Alison Longhorn as area coroner for the Exeter and Greater Devon coroner area. Her appointment was made following an open competition and after receiving the consent of the Chief Coroner and Lord Chancellor.
Earlier this year Ms Longhorn presided over the inquest of Riley Hadley who took his own life after he was bullied relentlessly at school.
The inquest heard evidence that the Sidmouth Community College pupil was being home-schooled by his mother after he began to question his sexuality in the months before his death, which had led to him being repeatedly bullied.
Dorset Council have appointed Brendan Joseph Allen as area coroner for Dorset. Mr Allen was the former assistant coroner for Dorset and has presided over a number of inquests, including opening the inquest into the death of Argentinian footballer Emiliano Sala, who died after a plane he was in crashed into the English Channel.