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Dorset Coroners service Inquests and Hearings

A Coroner is an independent judicial officer. They are assisted by Coroner’s Officers and secretarial staff.

The Coroner investigates and records the causes and circumstances of all deaths where the cause is unknown, or that was violent or unnatural, or occurred whilst the deceased was in lawful custody.

This information is only about our local Coroner, you can find out more about the role of a Coroner.

If you are concerned about a death you are entitled to raise these concerns with the Coroner.

Our Office is open Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm and on Fridays 9am to 3.30pm, except for Bank Holidays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

Our address is : Civic Centre, Bourne Avenue, Bournemouth. BH2 6DY.

01202 123 900

coroner.service@bcpcouncil.gov.uk

The Coroner's team

The Senior Coroner for Dorset is Mrs Rachael Griffin. The Area Coroner for Dorset is Mr Brendan Allen. The Assistant Coroners are Mr Richard Middleton, Mrs Victoria Cook and Mrs Deborah Rookes. You can contact them at the Coroner's Office.

The Senior Coroner for Dorset covers deaths that occur in the administrative county of Dorset or where the body of a deceased person is found in Dorset, even if they died elsewhere.

The Assistant Coroners act when the Senior Coroner is not available. They have the full powers of the Senior Coroner.

Find out about inquest hearings

You can find all publicly available information here. Please do not contact the Coroner's Court office, staff or police press office as they cannot give you any further information.

In Person Attendance and Remote access for members of the Press and Public

The courts are open to members of the press and the public, except in exceptional circumstances.

If you wish to attend court in person, it would be helpful if you could notify our offices in advance.

Under the current legislation, participants to inquests including interested persons and witnesses are permitted, with the Coroner's approval, to attend remotely.

For anyone wishing to observe remotely, permission from the Coroner may also be granted.

All requests to attend hearings remotely will be placed before the Coroner for approval. In order to allow sufficient time to consider any request please complete the relevant document, with as much detail as possible and submit a minimum of two working days prior to the hearing. The form is accessed by clicking the above link.

The document must then be submitted by email to: coroner.service@bcpcouncil.gov.uk

Inquests to be opened week commencing Monday 21 April 2025

Location: Dorset Coroner's Court, Civic Centre, Bourne Avenue, Bournemouth, BH2 6DY

Date Deceased Date of Death Place of Death Place of Residence Time of Hearing Age Coroner
Friday 18 April 2025     BANK HOLIDAY      
               
Monday 21 April 2025     BANK HOLIDAY      
Tuesday 22 April 2025 Susan Elizabeth Eley  05.04.2025  Bournemouth  Weymouth  1.30pm  72  Brendan Allen 
Wednesday 23 April 2025              
Thursday 24 April 2025              
Friday 25 April 2025              

Inquests to be held week commencing Monday 21 April 2025 to Friday 02 May 2025

Location: Dorset Coroner's Court, Civic Centre, Bourne Avenue, Bournemouth, BH2 6DY

Date Deceased

Date of Death

Place of Death Place of Residence Time of Hearing Age Coroner
Friday 18 April 2025  

 

BANK HOLIDAY      
   

 

         
Monday 21 April 2025     BANK HOLIDAY BANK HOLIDAY      
Tuesday 22 April 2025 Philip Thomas Eldridge 02.08.2024 Dorchester Portland 2.00pm (PIR) 58 Brendan Allen
Wednesday 23 April 2025 Graham Ernest Sawyer 08.02.2025 Bournemouth Bournemouth 10.00am 92 Brendan Allen
  Robert Brooks Strong 17.01.2025 Bournemouth Ringwood 2.00pm 81 Brendan Allen
 Thursday 24 April 2025              
Friday 25 April 2025              
               
Monday 28 April 2025 James Robert Johnstone 02.09.2024 Wimborne Wimborne 10.00am 51 Richard Middleton
  Jean Elsie Chilcott 23.01.2025 Ferndown Ferndown 2.00pm 84 Richard Middleton
Tuesday 29 April 2025 Frederick Hedley Williams 12.01.2024 Portland Portland 10.00am 86 Brendan Allen
  George Edward James Haldenby 29.01.2022 Dorchester Portland 11.00am (PIR) 56 Rachael Griffin
Wednesday 30 April 2025 Frederick Hedley Williams 12.01.2024 Portland Portland 10.00am 86 Brendan Allen
  Krzysztof Tyrakowski 18.09.2024 Bournemouth Bournemouth 10.00am 50 Richard Middleton
  Anthony James Teale 23.09.2024 Ferndown Ferndown 11.00am 50 Richard Middleton
  Richard Albert Felton 05.11.2024 Christchurch Christchurch 2.00pm 62 Richard Middleton
Thursday 01 May 2025 Belinda Jayne Stackhouse 31.08.2024 Bournemouth Bournemouth 10.00am (PIR) 24 Richard Middleton
  Ischia Montagu-LaPlaca 16.02.2024 Lyme Regis Lyme Regis 11.00am (PIR) 16 Rachael Griffin
  Gregor Grant 11.10.2023 Portugal  Bridport 11.30am (PIR) 27 Brendan Allen
  Francesca Louise Mansell 03.08.2024 Bournemouth Bournemouth 2.00pm 34 Richard Middleton
  Charlotte Katie Mae Avis 01.12.2022 Sherborne Sherborne 2.00pm (PIR) 30 Rachael Griffin
Friday 02 May 2025 John Patrick McGovern 13.06.2024 Dorchester Portland 10,00am (PIR) 58 Richard Middleton
  Rose Winifred McKillen 24.11.2024 Dorchester Weymouth 11.30am 83 Richard Middleton
  Anthony John Worron 15.12.2024 Bournemouth Bournemouth 2.00pm 93 Richard Middleton

Complaints about a Coroner's decision or the outcome of an Inquest can only be dealt with through proceedings in the High Court. The Coroner's office can explain the procedure, but cannot give legal advice. If you are researching past cases you have to apply to the Coroner in writing first before you can be given the information you are requesting.

Requests for more information

For more detailed information and/or copies of documents, you need to explain your relationship to the deceased and why you want the information.

Feedback and complaints

All complaints about the administration of the Dorset Coroner Service, or the conduct of individual coroners or their officers should first be raised by writing to the senior Coroner.

The Coroner cannot normally discuss cases which she is or has been involved with, but comments and suggestions on improving the Coroner Service are always welcome.

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