Charlotte Davies represents the Chief Constable of Devon & Cornwall Police at Jury Inquest
Charlotte Davies (2007), who has a specialist practice in inquests, has represented the interests of the Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police at Truro Coroner's Court. The inquest was held with a jury, which occurs in only 1% of all inquests.*
The two-day inquest before the Senior Coroner for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Andrew Cox, involved the death by hanging of a man at his home in Newquay. South West Ambulance Service Trust also appeared as an Interested Person.
The inquest had previously been determined to be an Article 2 inquest at a Pre-Inquest Review Hearing, at which Charlotte also appeared. However, following submissions at the conclusion of the evidence, and prior to the jury returning its findings and conclusion, the Senior Coroner determined that Article 2 was no longer appropriate. The evidence did not suggest that there was an immediate risk to life such that the police owed the deceased an operational duty.
The jury returned a short form conclusion of suicide.
Charlotte has previously written a series of six articles on inquests, which are available to read on our website and on LinkedIn.
* Coroners Statistics 2022: England & Wales (published 11 May 2023).
If you have any questions about this matter, or are interested in instructing Charlotte, please contact her clerk Jamie Kyte.
