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.
The information on this page is only about our local Coroner, you can find out more about the role of a Coroner here.
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, 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 Monday 01 September 2025
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 01 September 2025 | Alan Douglas McCoy | 10.06.2025 | Portland | Portland | 1.30pm | 82 | Rachael Griffin |
| Michael Richard Stebbings | 20.08.2025 | Poole | Poole | 1.30pm | 76 | Rachael Griffin | |
| Christopher David Read | 14.08.2025 | Bournemouth | Portland | 1.30pm | 83 | Rachael Griffin | |
| Phulbassiya Santokie | 05.06.2025 | Poole | Poole | 1.30pm | 76 | Rachael Griffin | |
| Esther Elizabeth Whatmore | 05.07.2025 | Poole | Poole | 1.30pm | 51 | Rachael Griffin | |
| Tuesday 02 September 2025 | |||||||
| Wednesday 03 September 2025 | Mathew Brian McDonald | 07.06.2025 | Weymouth | Weymouth | 1.30pm | 40 | Richard Middleton |
| Patricia Margaret Foster | 24.08.25 | Christchurch | Christchurch | 1.30pm | 92 | Richard Middleton | |
| Chanel Azran | 09.05.2025 | Bournemouth | Bournemouth | 1.30pm | 35 | Richard Middleton | |
| Thursday 04 September 2025 | Darrell Clive Hill | 22.06.2025 | Gillingham | Gillingham | 1.30pm | 44 | Rachael Griffin |
| John Hamblin | 25.08.2025 | Yeovil | Yeovil | 1.30pm | 84 | Rachael Griffin | |
| Michael Thomas Lynch | 27.008.2025 | Bournemouth | Bournemouth | 1.30pm | 61 | Rachael Griffin | |
| Michal Radoslaw Baranski | 26.08.2025 | Christchurch | Bournemouth | 1.30pm | 38 | Rachael Griffin | |
| Luke William Amos | 10.08.2025 | San Diego | San Diego | 1.30pm | 39 | Rachael Griffin | |
| Richard Edward John Bentley | 24.03.2025 | Bournemouth | Bournemouth | 1.30pm | 55 | Rachael Griffin | |
| Friday 05 September 2025 |
Inquests to be held week commencing Monday 01 September to Friday 12 September 2025
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 01 September 2025 | |||||||
| Tuesday 02 September 2025 | Laionie Kennard | 16.09.2023 | Ringwood | Verwood | 10.00am (PIR) | 18 | Brendan Allen |
| 2023 T645 - Bronze Age copper alloy palstave axeheads | Treasure | Inquest | 2.00pm | Rachael Griffin | |||
| 2025 T219 - Gold finger ring with glass setting | Treasure | Inquest | 2.00pm | Rachael Griffin | |||
| 2024 T1380 - Silver pendant fitting | Treasure | Inquest | 2.00pm | Rachael Griffin | |||
| Wednesday 03 September 2025 | Beryl Lorraine Marshall | 27.10.2024 | Poole | Poole | 10.00am | 94 | Brendan Allen |
| Mark Anthony Richard King | 03.03.2025 | Bournemouth | Bournemouth | 10.00am | 40 | Richard Middleton | |
| Thursday 04 September 2025 | Bahiyeh Afnan Shahid | 06.02.2025 | Bournemouth | Bournemouth | 10.00am | 94 | Richard Middleton |
| Oliver John Roberts | 28.01.2024 | Bournemouth | Fordingbridge | 11.00am (PIR) | 29 | Rachael Griffin | |
| Robert Charles Denton | 07.04.2025 | Dorchester | Dorchester | 2.00pm | 76 | Richard Middleton | |
| Friday 05 September 2025 | Mark Duncan Street | 27.01.2025 | Poole | Sussex | 10.00am (PIR) | 51 | Richard Middleton |
| James Fitzpatrick | 14.02.2024 | Poole | Wimborne | 11.00am (PIR) | 89 | Rachael Griffin | |
| Martin Charles Birt | 07/06/2025 | Poole | Poole | 12.00 | 83 | Richard Middleton | |
| Angela McDonagh | 30.09.2024 | Poole | Poole | 2.00pm | 46 | Richard Middleton | |
| Monday 08 September 2025 | Leonardo Cardoso-Machado | 16.04.2023 | Poole | Poole | 10.00am | 17 | Brendan Allen |
| John Maurice Drake | 23.10.2024 | Swanage | Swanage | 10.30am (PIR) | 91 | Rachael Griffin | |
| Tuesday 09 September 2025 | Leonardo Cardoso-Machado | 16.04.2023 | Poole | Poole | 10.00am | 17 | Brendan Allen |
| Wednesday 10 September 2025 | Leonardo Cardoso-Machado | 16.04.2023 | Poole | Poole | 10.00am | 17 | Brendan Allen |
| Thursday 11 September 2025 |
Leonardo Cardoso-Machado |
16.04.2023 | Poole | Poole | 10.00am | 17 | Brendan Allen |
| John Baldock | 26.11.2024 | Christchurch | Bournemouth | 11.00am | 85 | Richard Middleton | |
| Robert Kenneth Fiander | 29.06.2024 | Poole | Poole | 2.00pm | 94 | Richard Middleton | |
| Friday 12 September 2025 | Louise Jane Butcher | 12.03.2025 | Dorchester | Blandford Forum | 10.00am | 51 | Richard Middleton |
| Sandra Gwendoline Marshall | 21.12.2024 | Dorchester | Dorchester | 2.00pm | 61 | 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.