Description
TLC Zoom
Wednesday 12th June 2024 @ 18:00 BST
The Coroner’s Court – A Forgotten Service
HHJ Thomas Teague KC
Chief Coroner
What do you know about the role of the Coroner’s Court?
When someone’s death is unknown, unexpected or suspicious, a coroner will hold an inquest to determine the circumstances surrounding the death. The coroner will consider all evidence and witness statements before arriving at an inquest conclusion.
For bereaved families, it can be a long and arduous process, and it can take place several months after the death of a loved one. Understanding the coroners’ system, individual rights and what is expected of you should help to ease the strain at a difficult time.
Fine, but.
Tonight we are privileged to hear from His Honour Judge Thomas Teague KC, the Chief Coroner.
In November 2023, the Chief Coroner delivered a highly critical analysis of many of the challenges and failings of the current system. He will expand on the considerable issues and challenges the service faces.
A forgotten service? You be the judge.
Biography
HHJ Thomas Teague KC was called to the Bar in 1977. He practised as a junior barrister on the Wales and Chester Circuit from chambers in Chester. For the first ten years or so, he had a mixed common law practice, but later specialised in criminal work. After taking silk in 2000, he joined London chambers (3 Paper Buildings in the Temple) from where he continued to practise criminal law, mainly on the Northern Circuit, the Western Circuit and the Wales and Chester Circuit. On appointment to the circuit bench in July 2006 he was assigned to the Crown Court first at Chester, then Warrington. After short stints in Manchester, he was assigned to Liverpool Crown Court in 2012. Three years later, he was appointed as judge coroner to handle the inquest into the death of Anthony Grainger, a member of the public who had been fatally shot by an armed police officer. The Home Secretary eventually converted that inquest into a public inquiry and appointed Judge Teague as Chairman. He published his report at the conclusion of the inquiry in July 2019. Between December 2020 and May 2024 he served as the third Chief Coroner for England and Wales in December 2020. He is currently chairing the public inquiry into the death of Jalal Uddin.
As a rider, I recall in 2012 having the pleasure of ‘sitting’ with HHJ Teague KC in Liverpool Crown Court, The Crown Court is the first court of appeal from a Magistrates Court and a judge will normally sit with a couple of magistrate to reconsider the issues being appealed. I hugely enjoyed the experience, the view from his room ( as you will see from his photograph above ) and the fact that he owned a wonderful piece of railwayana – namely the whistle from the last main line steam locomotive to operate on Merseyside, scrapped in 1968. I remain being sick with envy.
