Broad discretion recognised

R (on the application of Sreedharan) v HM Coroner for the County of Greater Manchester and Others [2013] EWCA Civ 181

Counsel: For the appellant: Mary O’Rourke QC, Sophie CartwrightFor the respondent: Samantha Leek QCFor the interested party: Nicholas BrownSolicitors: For the appellant: Ryan SolicitorsFor the respondent: Withers LLPFor the interested party: Hodge Jones and Allen LLP

There is a discretion vested in a coroner in respect of the nature and extent of an inquiry undertaken into the death of a patient as a result of an overdose of a lethal drug prescribed by a general practitioner. The court found, in the case outlined below, that there was no error of law in the coroner’s refusal to leave a verdict of suicide to the jury. Indeed, the court took the view that the coroner had acted appropriately in all respects in his decisions concerning the admissibility of evidence and in his directions to the jury.