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 HG Mark Bricknell.

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

Maggie Oliver - 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
3 February 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Gillian Elizabeth Bate 83 years Inquest
5 February 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Roy Cresswell Allen 88 years Investigation
10 February 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Jessica Ellie Parsons 21 years Investigation
10 February 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Trevor John Edward Whitefoot 80 years Investigation
12 February 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Jamie Nigel Gawler 54 years Inquest
12 February 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Winston Antonio Sorrell 84 years Investigation
12 February 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Frederick Richard Young 82 years Inquest
19 February 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Robert John Cotterell 41 years Investigation
19 February 2025 Town Hall, Hereford David Watkin Lewis 75 years Inquest
19 February 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Cynthia Helen Susan Rees 90 years Inquest
21 February 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Sheila Jennings 63 years Investigation
21 February 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Karen Louise Dowell 60 years Inquest
25 February 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Joy Daphne Drew 69 years Inquest
5 March 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Michael Nicholas Lambert 67 years Inquest
5 March 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Dorothy Maud Jones 90 years Investigation
13 March 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Karl Lee White 46 years Inquest
19 March 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Martin Glover 64 years Inquest
19 March 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Ilse Viola Landon 94 years Inquest
19 March 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Lorna Pitt 53 years Investigation
21 March 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Benjamin Josef Higgins 27 years Inquest
24 March 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Mary Ann Cope 78 years Inquest
26 March 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Charles Sibanda 63 years Investigation
26 March 2025 Town Hall, Hereford Peter William Worthington 81 years Inquest

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
31 March 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford Lesley Anne Lowther 83 years County Hospital, Hereford Roland J Wooderson
31 March 2025 10.45am Town Hall, Hereford Robert Mainstone Taylor 84 years Hereford Roland J Wooderson
31 March 2025 11.30am Town Hall, Hereford Lee David Grant Cook 48 years County Hospital, Hereford Roland J Wooderson
31 March 2025 12.15pm Town Hall, Hereford Miles Christian Badger 53 years Hereford Roland J Wooderson
14 April 2025 10am Town Hall, Hereford Thomas Frederick Perfit 78 years Hereford Roland J Wooderson
14 April 2025 11am Town Hall, Hereford Gregory Toby Harris 33 years County Hospital, Hereford Roland J Wooderson
14 April 2025 12pm Town Hall, Hereford Nigel Robert Clark 46 years Herefordshire Roland J Wooderson
14 April 2025 2pm Town Hall, Hereford David Anthony Moore 48 years Ross-on-Wye Roland J Wooderson

Recent deaths referred to the Coroner

Date referred Name Date of death
10 February 2025 David Willis 6 February 2025
12 February 2025 Denis John O'Vell 11 February 2025
17 February 2025 Elizabeth Anstice Barnett 13 February 2025
17 February 2025 Karen Scobbie 16 February 2025
18 February 2025 Marion Joan Brookes 14 February 2025
18 February 2025 Alison Judith Ellis 18 February 2025
19 February 2025 Paul Hurban Rooke 14 February 2025
20 February 2025 Brian Norman Weekes 15 February 2025
20 February 2025 Jonathan Dudley Lucas 17 February 2025
25 February 2025 David Peter Moruzzi 21 February 2025
28 February 2025 Derek William Pockett 25 February 2025
28 February 2025 Colin Geoffrey Parkins 27 February 2025
28 February 2025 Albert William Kent 28 February 2025
7 March 2025 John Richard Pike 7 March 2025
11 March 2025 John Terence Large 7 March 2025
13 March 2025 Muriel Boswell 7 March 2025
17 March 2025 Carol Ann Marfell 13 March 2025
18 March 2025 Graham Douglas Rye 13 March 2025
18 March 2025 Jean Rosemary Marston 15 March 2025

Inquest conclusions in the current and previous month

Name of deceased Date of conclusion Conclusion
Karen Allen 21 February 2025 Narrative
Emily Louise Carless 26 February 2025 Narrative
Rosemarie Lowe 26 March 2025 Narrative
Norman John Rees 26 March 2025 Narrative
Gillian Elizabeth Bate 26 March 2025 Accidental death

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