HM Coroner 

Who is the Coroner?

HM Coroner is an independent judicial officer holding office under the Crown. Every coroner is local to a jurisdiction, funded by the local council, but independent of council, police, hospitals and Welsh Assembly Government. When investigating a death where no crime is suspected, police officers act as coroner’s officers. There are also permanent coroner’s officers based at the coroner’s court.

Why is HM Coroner sometimes involved?

Some deaths must be reported to HM Coroner before the death can be registered.

Examples include:

• where there is no doctor who can issue a medical certificate of cause of death
• where the person was not seen by a doctor within the last 14 days before death
• where the cause of death is unknown
• where the cause of death is believed to be unnatural or suspicious
• where the death happened during an operation or before recovery from an anaesthetic
• where the death may be due to industrial disease or industrial poisoning
• where the death occurred in police or prison custody

Coroner’s Post Mortem

HM Coroner must then decide whether there should be further investigation into the death. The coroner may arrange for a post mortem examination of the body by a pathologist. The consent of the relatives is not needed. The registrar cannot register the death until the coroner notifies the registrar of his/her decision.

Inquest

In certain circumstances, HM Coroner may decide to hold an inquest into the death. He or she will usually give the undertakers an Order of Burial form or Certificate for Cremation form, so that the funeral can take place. S/he may also issue interim death certificates to relatives to allow the deceased’s financial affairs to be sorted out. The death will not be registered until the inquest has taken place and a verdict has been reached. After the inquest, the coroner will provide the registrar with the relevant paperwork. Once the registration has taken place (for which an informant is not required), certified copies of the entry, i.e. death certificates, can be purchased from the registrar.

Inquests take place at the court inside Cardiff Central Police Station (see address below). The court does have wheelchair access, but additional time must be allowed for this, and there are no wheelchair accessible toilets. The court has no refreshment facilities. Those attending court who have special requirements, e.g. translating services, must contact the coroner’s officers well in advance of the hearing. All inquests are open to the public and to the press, unless there is an issue of national security.

Contact

Ms ME Hassell

HM Coroner for Cardiff & The Vale of Glamorgan

Central Police Station

King Edward VII Avenue

Cathays Park

Cardiff CF10 3NN.

Opening hours

7.30am-3.30pm
Mondays – Thursdays

7.30am-3pm Fridays

The offices do not operate out of hours.

Telephone:

029 2052 7431

029 2052 7433

029 2052 8020

There are three coroner’s officers.

If there is an emergency out of hours, South Wales Police may contact HM Coroner personally.