Bereaved families will be warned that reporters may be present at their loved-one’s inquest following a proposal by the Newspaper Society.
The Government has agreed that the new Charter for the Coroner Service should make clear that bereaved family members and witnesses should be aware that the press may be present at the inquest.
The Society had suggested that the bereaved should be informed by the coroners service at the earliest possible opportunity that inquests are judicial proceedings which are open to the public and can be reported by the media.
It said t it would help to reduce the instances of distress of the bereaved as many people did not realise that the inquest or the evidence that they had given might be reported.
The Charter will be published this year and will set out uniform standards of service that bereaved family members can expect to receive from coroners’ services across the country, as well as ensuring that all coroners’ offices in England and Wales are aware of the standards that they should be meeting.
It will also clarify what someone can do if they wish to complain about the level of service received or the personal conduct of a coroner.
Any revised Charter produced on implementation of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 will be included in the new guidance.
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It would be a rare sighting if a reporter were at an inquest to be fair.
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Well, Biter, I must be a rare beast – I was at four inquests Wednesday last!
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Maybe in your neck of the woods, Biter.
It shouldn’t be necessary to inform families about the Press given that they are pubic hearings, but I guess if it helps them prepare for what’s coming then it can only be a good thing. The last thing reporters want is to cause even more distress by their very presence.
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I regularly cover inquests and our local coroner’s office always tells the families who I am and why I’m there. They rarely object and some are happy there’s a journalist there.
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Biter, don’t know what paper you are from but here, too, inquests are a staple diet – very essential to proper coverage. We also go to mags court most days and print every pip and squeak from the court register so all cases get in the paper. It’s easy to set up. It doesn’t make sense for papers to give up on story streams like local inquests – they provide quality copy. Have a word with your ed and show him/her what they are missing.
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That’s a very good idea by the Newspaper Society. A common courtesy apart from anything else. An inquest is often a distressing experience for the bereaved family. Even when they know that a reporter is to be present, the Press motive can be misunderstood.The last thing a family want to believe is that a reporter has turned up to get some tittle-tattle. On more than one occasion I had to field calls from family representatives who said they did not wish the Press to attend as it was nobody else’s business. If the coroner’s office could quietly set out the judicial case for a reporter’s presence some of the family’s anguish might be eased.
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Same down here in Plymouth – inquests are regularly covered.
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But to the article – I sincerely hope the alerts the coroner gives won’t be framed “I’m EVER so sorry, but a member of the press will be here today. Yes, yes… I know… it is awful, but unfortunately my hands are tied as it is legally open to them… no, no, of course you don’t need to talk to them… no, nor sit near them… yes, you may spit at them if you wish, I won’t look… well, I *do* think a knee in the bollocks is a bit much, but if you insist I will leave the room”…
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In my experience coroners are very helpful and supportive. And I will never forget Coroner John Dodd telling Jimmy Page to take his hands out of his pockets as he slouched in the witness box!
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