DOZENS of Isle of Wight inquests will be 'held in writing' instead of in public at the Coroner's Court.

On 28 June, 2022, new provisions came into effect allowing inquests to be held in writing.

Those provisions operate in addition to the powers that coroners already had to admit written evidence at inquest hearings.

Section 9C Coroners and Justice Act 2009 ('CJA') creates a new power for coroners to decide that an inquest will be held in writing.

Below are the names of 51 people whose inquests will be held in writing in the next three weeks 

Coroners will need to open the inquest in the usual way, but then no further hearing will be required

For an inquest to be held this way coroners will need to:

  • invite representations from each interested person
  • have no-one represent on reasonable grounds that a hearing should take place
  • consider that there is no real prospect of disagreement as to the inquest’s determinations or findings
  • consider that no public interest would be served by a hearing

Cases may be suitable if they are straightforward and uncontentious.

Additionally, inquests in writing can avoid a stressful hearing for the family.

Examples of cases in which inquests in writing may be appropriate are:

  • Industrial disease cases with an in-life histological diagnosis with clear work history
  • Straightforward drugs deaths with no reason to suspect suicide and no concerns surrounding the role of addiction services or healthcare provision
  • Cases where the medical cause of death remains unascertained, but there is no reason to suspect an unnatural cause or a death in state detention
  • Suicides where the events are clear and no actions of a third party have given rise to concern

After the close of the inquest, interested persons should be informed in writing of the coroner’s determination, findings and conclusion, and the family should be told how to obtain a copy of the death certificate.

Here are the 51 inquests to be concluded in writing within the next 21 days:

Christine Ann Ash, 62, died July 22, 2021, in Newport.

Derrick William Austin, 85, died September 14, 2020, in Newport.

Angela Joyce Ayres, 73, died November 17, 2021, in Southampton.

Barbara Violet Baggaley, 77, died November 13, 2021, in Totland Bay.

Kenneth John Baker, 74, died May 8, 2021, in Newport.

Robert Leslie Barnes, 76, died April 18, 2022, in Newport.

Elizabeth Margaret Bethell, 89, died August 9, 2020, in Newport.

Shirley Ann Blackman, 85, died January 27, 2022, in Shanklin.

Jean Brown, 86, died October 28, 2021, in Newport.

Lesley Ann Bryant, 72, died August 30, 2021, in Newport.

Christopher James Byrne, 56, died June 29, 2021, in Newport.

Frank David Nigel Chadney, 76, died July 21, 2021, in Newport.

Peter Terence Chapman, 82, died September 25, 2019, in Newport.

Mary Diana Davies, 92, died February 24, 2022, in Shanklin.

George William Francis Deighton, 84, died June 16, 2021, in Havenstreet.

Deidre Ann Dight, 44, died May 13, of 2021, in Sandown.

Arthur Roland Downer, 68, died May 11, 2021, in Newport.

David John Dunbar, 66, died November 16, 2021, in Newport.

Dorothy Rose Dyer, 90, died November 13, 2021, in Newport.

Sarah Bridget O'Donel Ferguson, 75, died November 29, 2021, in Newport.

Robert Graham, 88, died March 20, 2022, in Newport.

Susan Rosemary Griffith, 80, died August 28, 2021, in Cowes.

Tony William Groundsell, 76, died October 19, 2021, in Ryde.

Peter Alan Hall, 73, died October 3, 2020, in Ryde.

Donald Henry Hampton, 65, died June 26, 2021, in Ryde.

Sylvia Mary Harrison, 84, died March 1, 2022, in Totland Bay.

David Alan Hope, 91, died December 4, 2021, in Totland Bay.

Doris Jean Keeping, 93, died October 9, 2021, in Newport.

Brian Leonard Lacey, 84, died October 10, 2021, in Newport.

David Edward Lee, 82, died January 21, 2022, in Newport.

Naomi Kathleen Lewis, 42, died December 22, 2021, in Newport.

Shawn McClane, 50, died September 16, 2021, in Sandown.

Thomas Howard Moore, 84, died October 14, 2021, in Newport.

David John Mowlam, 87, died March 30, 2022, in Newport.

Joyce Margaret Pidgeon, 86, died April 6, 2021, in Newport.

Trevor Llewellyn Roberts, 73, died February 14, 2022, in Newport.

Richard Rowell, 55, died July 3, 2021, in Newport.

Christopher Joseph Sheeran, 75, died November 25, 2021, in Sandown.

Muriel Betty Shimmen, 91, died May 5, 2022, in Newport.

Noreen Margaret Huxley Smith, 96, died November 4, 2021, in Newport.

William Bruce Somerville, 90, died October 27, 2021, in East Cowes.

Brian Tongue, 83, died October 3, 2021, in Newport.

Walter Ernest Upson, 91, died September 16, 2020, in Newport.

Joan Anna Eileen Vandecasteele, 84, died September 23, 2021, in Newport.

Elizabeth Ann Wallace, 56, died January 16, 2021, in Ventnor.

Geoffrey Way, 72, died November 2, 2021, in Ryde.

Audrey Clare Wesson, 84, died September 9, 2021, in Totland Bay.

Malcolm West, 82, died October 29, 2021, in Newport.

Sheila Mary White, 83, died October 20, 2021, in Totland Bay.

Gemma Louise Willis, 43, died May 31, 2021, in Freshwater.

Trevor Andrew Yates, 62, died September 18, 2020, in Newport.