Dorset Coroners service Inquests and Hearings
A Coroner is an independent judicial officer. They are assisted by Coroner’s Officers and secretarial staff.
The Coroner investigates and records the causes and circumstances of all deaths where the cause is unknown, or that was violent or unnatural, or occurred whilst the deceased was in lawful custody.
This information is only about our local Coroner, you can find out more about the role of a Coroner.
If you are concerned about a death you are entitled to raise these concerns with the Coroner.
Our Office is open Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm and on Fridays 9am to 3.30pm, except for Bank Holidays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
Our address is : Civic Centre, Bourne Avenue, Bournemouth. BH2 6DY.
coroner.service@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
The Coroner's team
The Senior Coroner for Dorset is Mrs Rachael Griffin. The Area Coroner for Dorset is Mr Brendan Allen. The Assistant Coroners are Mr Richard Middleton, Mr Grant Davies, Mrs Victoria Cook and Mrs Deborah Rookes. You can contact them at the Coroner's Office.
The Senior Coroner for Dorset covers deaths that occur in the administrative county of Dorset or where the body of a deceased person is found in Dorset, even if they died elsewhere.
The Assistant Coroners act when the Senior Coroner is not available. They have the full powers of the Senior Coroner.
Find out about inquest hearings
You can find all publicly available information here. Please do not contact the Coroner's Court office, staff or police press office as they cannot give you any further information.
In Person Attendance and Remote access for members of the Press and Public
The courts are open to members of the press and the public, except in exceptional circumstances.
If you wish to attend court in person, it would be helpful if you could notify our offices in advance.
Under the current legislation, participants to inquests including interested persons and witnesses are permitted, with the Coroner's approval, to attend remotely.
For anyone wishing to observe remotely, permission from the Coroner may also be granted.
All requests to attend hearings remotely will be placed before the Coroner for approval. In order to allow sufficient time to consider any request please complete the relevant document, with as much detail as possible and submit a minimum of two working days prior to the hearing. The form is accessed by clicking the above link.
The document must then be submitted by email to: coroner.service@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
Inquests to be opened week commencing 29 April 2024
Location: Dorset Coroner's Court, Civic Centre, Bourne Avenue, Bournemouth, BH2 6DY
| Date | Deceased | Date of Death | Place of Death | Place of Residence | Time of Hearing | Age | Coroner |
| Monday 29 April 2024 | Clive Godber | 21.04.2024 | Sixpenny Handley | Dorchester | 1.30pm | 64 | Brendan Allen |
| Valerie Margaret Hughes | 22.04.2024 | Christchurch | Christchurch | 1.30pm | 94 | Brendan Allen | |
| Juliana Josefa Taylor | 21.04.2024 | Dorchester | Dorchester | 1.30pm | 73 | Brendan Allen | |
| Tuesday 30 April 2024 | |||||||
| Wednesday 01 May 2024 | Jean Crompton | 19.04.2024 | Poole | New Milton | 1.30pm | 91 | Brendan Allen |
| Gareth Paul Smith | 26.04.2024 | Bournemouth | Bournemouth | 1.30pm | 64 | Brendan Allen | |
| Lauren Danielle Jones | 21.01.2024 | Bournemouth | Bournemouth | 1.30pm | 36 | Berndan Allen | |
| Delma Jones | 22.04.2024 | New Milton | New Milton | 1.30pm | 89 | Brendan Allen | |
| Thursday 02 May 2024 | |||||||
| Friday 03 May 2024 |
Inquests to be held week commencing 29 April 2024 to Friday 10 May 2024
Location: Dorset Coroner's Court, Civic Centre, Bourne Avenue, Bournemouth, BH2 6DY
| Date | Deceased |
Date of Death |
Place of Death | Place of Residence | Time of Hearing | Age | Coroner |
| Monday 29 April 2024 | Frazer Charlie Williams | 07.03.2022 | Shaftesbury | Shaftesbury | 10.00am | 28 | Rachael Griffin |
| Daniel Lee Matthews | 31.08.2023 | Weymouth | Weymouth | 10.00am | 32 | Brendan Allen | |
| David Thomas Jamieson | 18.08.2023 | Bournemouth | Wimborne | 2.00pm | 49 | Brendan Allen | |
| Tuesday 30 April 2024 | Frazer Charlie Williams | 07.03.2022 | Shaftesbury | Shaftesbury | 10.00am | 28 | Rachael Griffin |
| Steven Andrew Clarke | 31.03.2023 | Wareham | Wareham | 10.00am | 54 | Brendan Allen | |
| Davina Austin Belcher | 08.09.2022 | Yeovil | Shaftesbury | 10.00am | 87 | Richard Middleton | |
| Nicola McLaughlin | 09.08.2023 | Bournemouth | Bournemouth | 2.00pm | 61 | Brendan Allen | |
| Wednesday 01 May 2024 | Brigitte Beusmans | 28.10.2023 | Poole | Wimborne | 9.30am | 65 | Brendan Allen |
| Frazer Charlie Williams | 07.03.2022 | Shaftesbury | Shaftesbury | 10.00am | 28 | Rachael Griffin | |
| Jocelinn Amy Bowen | 31.01.2023 | Poole | Poole | 10.00am | 41 | Richard Middleton | |
| James Peter Raeburn | 04.10.2023 | Wimborne | Wimborne | 3.00pm | 40 | Brendan Allen | |
| Thursday 02 May 2024 | Frazer Charlie Williams | 07.03.2022 | Shaftesbury | Shaftesbury | 10.00am | 28 | Rachael Griffin |
| Thomas Sweeney | 26.02.2023 | Poole | Poole | 10.00am | 86 | Brendan Allen | |
| Liam George Hughes | 29.06.2023 | Gillingham | Gillingham | 10.00am | 29 | Richard Middleton | |
| Teresa Joan Hallett | 20.11.2023 | Portland | Portland | 2.00pm | 72 | Richard Middleton | |
| Friday 03 May 2024 | Frazer Charlie Williams | 07.03.2022 | Shaftesbury | Shaftesbury | 10.00am | 28 | Rachael Griffin |
| Robin James Melton | 27.10.2023 | Dorchester | Dorchester | 10.00am | 85 | Richard Middleton | |
| Christina Mary Rembges | 20.02.2024 | Poole | Poole | 11.30am | 90 | Richard Middleton | |
| Thomas Leslie Fromage | 02.09.2023 | Poole | Poole | 2.00pm | 72 | Richard Middleton | |
| Monday 07 May 2024 | BANK | HOLIDAY | |||||
| Tuesday 07 May 2024 | Frazer Charlie Williams | 07.03.2022 | Shaftesbury | Shaftesbury | 10.00am | 28 | Rachael Griffin |
| Michael Bailey | 22.08.2023 | Bournemouth | Bournemouth | 2.00pm | 77 | Brendan Allen | |
| Wednesday 08 May 2024 | Frazer Charlie Williams | 07.03.2022 | Shaftesbury | Shaftesbury | 10.00am | 28 | Rachael Griffin |
| Jack Gillespie | 10.06.2023 | Worth Matravers | Swanage | 10.00am | 17 | Richard Middleton | |
| Cyrus Brian Perry | 08.06.2023 | Sturminster Marshall | Sturminster Marshall | 11.00am (PIR) | 17 | Brendan Allen | |
| Barbara May Berrow | 09.12.2023 | Dorchester | Blandford Forum | 2.00pm | 91 | Brendan Allen | |
| Thursday 09 May 2024 | Frazer Charlie Williams | 07.03.2022 | Shaftesbury | Shaftesbury | 10.00am | 28 | Rachael Griffin |
| Patricia Hepple | 20.08.2023 | Poole | Blyth | 10.00am | 73 | Richard Middleton | |
| Friday 10 May 2024 | Frazer Charlie Williams | 07.03.2022 | Shaftesbury | Shaftesbury | 10.00am | 28 | Rachael Griffin |
| Frederick Harold Brown | 14.05.2023 | Christchurch | Bournemouth | 10.00am | 80 | Richard Middleton | |
| Simon Holmes | 03.02.2024 | Christchurch | Bournemouth | 11.30am | 69 | Richard Middelton | |
| Maureen Murphy | 15.12.2023 | Bournemouth | Bournemouth | 2.00pm | 83 | Richard Middleton |
Complaints about a Coroner's decision or the outcome of an Inquest can only be dealt with through proceedings in the High Court. The Coroner's office can explain the procedure, but cannot give legal advice. If you are researching past cases you have to apply to the Coroner in writing first before you can be given the information you are requesting.
Requests for more information
For more detailed information and/or copies of documents, you need to explain your relationship to the deceased and why you want the information.
Feedback and complaints
All complaints about the administration of the Dorset Coroner Service, or the conduct of individual coroners or their officers should first be raised by writing to the senior Coroner.
The Coroner cannot normally discuss cases which she is or has been involved with, but comments and suggestions on improving the Coroner Service are always welcome.