Russian agents spied on Sergei and Yulia Skripal five years before the Salisbury novichok poisoning, a pre-inquest review has heard. The Royal Courts of Justice was told yesterday the then national security adviser Sir Mark Sedwill sent a letter to the Nato secretary-general in April 2018 mentioning a ‘cyber-interest’ in the Skripals from 2013. It said: ‘We … Read more
The death of a toddler who choked on a piece of sausage at a Butlin’s holiday park has been ruled accidental at an inquest today. James Manning had been on a trip to Bognor Regis, West Sussex, with his mother Natalie Reeves and grandmother Angela Knight when tragedy struck. The two-year-old, from Battle in East … Read more
Coroner issues latest smart motorways warning after teenager who died in M1 crash became fifth fatality in two years Assistant coroner has called for urgent action after 19-year-old died in M1 crash Zahid Ahmed hit by a lorry at 56mph in a broken-down car on smart motorway Detective said teenager would not have died if … Read more
Highways England was today referred to the Crown Prosecution Service where it could face manslaughter charges for the death of a grandmother on a so-called ‘smart motorway’. The Government-owned company was referred to the CPS by the coroner holding an inquest into the death of Nargis Begum, 62. The grandmother-of-nine died when another vehicle smashed … Read more
A coroner has called for Oxford University to overhaul its drugs policy after a gifted physics student died from an overdose. Daniel Mervis, 23, from Finchley in north London, died in October 2019, after a ‘battle with drug misuse that began whilst studying at Oxford’s St John’s College’. An inquest was told that the college … Read more
Anya Buckley died at the Leeds Festival in summer 2019 after taking a cocktail of ecstasy, ketamine and cocaine Unaccompanied under-18s should be banned from going to music festivals where they are exposed to harmful drugs, a coroner has suggested after a 17-year-old girl died. Senior Coroner Kevin McLoughlin urged Leeds Council to ‘take action’ … Read more
Andre Moura, 30, died several hours after he was detained by officers on the night of July 6, 2018 The police officers who were filmed arresting a man who later died in custody have asked the coroner to impose an order granting them anonymity. Andre Moura, 30, died several hours after he was detained by … Read more
The words of Alan Garner’s widow, Sylvia, say it all: ‘Football has robbed me of my husband, my children of their father and my grandchildren of their grandad.’ On Tuesday, grieving members of the former Luton and Watford defender’s family attended Alan’s inquest. That it was held via videolink, because of Covid, was not the … Read more
Air pollution was today recorded as a medical cause of death of a nine-year-old girl who suffered a fatal asthma attack in a first for the UK. Ella Kissi-Debrah is believed to be the first person in the country to have air pollution listed as the cause of death on their death certificate, following the … Read more
A coroner has been urged to record unlawful killing verdicts into the deaths of five people who died from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by their gas cookers. Friends Richard Smith, 30, and Kevin Branton, 34, died in Saltash in November 2010, while husband and wife John and Audrey Cook, aged 90 and 86, and their … Read more