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.

01202 123 900

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 28 July 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 28 July 2025	Edward Michael Pass	22.07.2025	Stalbridge	Stalbridge	1.30pm	28	Brendan Allen
Tuesday 29  July 2025
Wednesday 31 July 2025
Thursday 31 July 2025
Friday 01 August 2025

Inquests to be held week commencing Monday 28 July to Friday 08 August 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 28 July 2025
Tuesday 29 July 2025	Eric Yik Sie Kiat	08.01.2025	Sturminster Newton	Sturminster Newton	10.00am	45	Brendan Allen
	Yvonne Ann Tague	07.09.2025	Bournemouth	Bournemouth	1.00pm	56	Brendan Allen
Wednesday 30 July 2025	Chester Henry Woodall	27.11.2024	Wimborne	Verwood	10.00am	25	Richard Middleton
	May Cope	21.12.2024	Swanage	Swanage	2.00pm	101	Richard Middleton
Thursday 31 July 2025	Luke Aaron Foote	05.01.2025	Bournemouth	Bournemouth	10.00am	34	Brendan Allen
	Tristan Timothy Taylor	03.03.2025	Bournemouth	Bournemouth	10.00am	35	Richard Middleton
	Clive Reginald Brown	16.12.2024	Dorchester	Dorchester	2.00pm	87	Richard Middleton
Friday 01 August 2025	Gary Stephen Marshall	29.04.2025	Christchurch	Christchurch	11.30am	33	Richard Middleton
	Horace Hale Harvey III	14.02.2025	Dorchester	Dorchester	2.00pm	93	Richard Middleton
	Julian Richard Tanner	17.07.2025	Wimborne	Wimborne	3.00pm	66	Richard Middleton
Monday 04 August 2025	Kirsten Jane Raven	10.10.024	Bournemouth	Bournemouth	2.00pm	52	Brendan Allen
Tuesday 05 August 2025	Gregor Grant	11.10.2023	Portugal	Bridport	2.30pm (PIR)	27	Brendan Allen
Wednesday 06 August 2025	Gemma May Weeks	26.01.2025	Weymouth	Axminster	10.00am	28	Brendan Allen
	Maurice Edward Domoney	09.11.2024	Blandford Forum	Blandford Forum	10.00am	69	Richard Middleton
	Tracey Lynne Spicer	11.03.2025	Poole	Poole	2.00pm	60	Richard Middleton
Thursday 07 August 2025	Carl David Wareham	11.01.2025	Bournemouth	Ferndown	10.00am	77	Brendan Allen
	Michael Harriott	27.05.2025	Wareham	Wareham	10.00am	77	Richard Middleton
	Jonathan Neil Smith	11.02.2025	Sturminster Newton	Sturminster Newton	11.00am	68	Richard Middleton
	Gerald Ludlam	13.02.2025	Portland	Portland	2.00pm	65	Richard Middleton
Friday 08 August 2025	Brian John Wilton	02.01.2025	Christchurch	Christchurch	10.00am	76	Richard Middleton
	Mark Anthony Barnes	21.11.2024	Dorchester	Weymouth	2.00pm	60	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.