A coroner’s court has locked its doors over security concerns after incidents involving a man with a taser at an inquest as well as a ‘full scale riot’. Reading Coroner's Court has installed an electronic locking system on the doors of its two court rooms, which remain locked during inquests.
Inquests are usually held in open court and the public may be excluded from a hearing only in the interests of national security.
Guidance from the chief coroner states hearings must be held in a courtroom which is accessible to the public without a physical barrier, so that ‘any member of the public can “drop in” to see how a hearing is conducted by a coroner’.
When queried about whether locking the doors at Reading Coroner's Court was consistent with the chief coroner’s guidance, the senior coroner for Berkshire Heidi Connor cited ‘significant security incidents’. These included a man with a taser in court, a ‘full scale riot’ - from which the senior coroner and other court officers had to be removed by police protection - and a family member ‘who became very distressed and smashed the court room door’.
In November 2019, Reading Coroner's Court reportedly descended into disorder after the close of a controversial inquest regarding a man who was killed in a police car chase. Reports described how a scuffle broke out after the inquest concluded and a crowd of people started shouting obscenities. Police officers later formed a human chain around Reading Town Hall - where the coroner’s court is based - and several riot vans were deployed.
Connor also stated that a coroner sitting at Essex Coroner’s court had recently been assaulted in a serious incident. ‘I have to balance a clear need for open justice on the one hand, with security on the other,’ Connor said. ‘The layout of our courts has changed in recent years, and we also have other security measures in place now. Sadly, this is becoming an increasing necessity in courts nationally.’
Connor added that it was still ‘almost always’ possible to gain access to the court rooms, either by attracting the attention of one of the volunteer ushers at court through the courtroom door’s window, or ringing the coronial team for help. ‘If all of that fails, then knocking on the court door is also a possibility’, Connor said. ‘That should be a last resort however, given the disruption to court proceedings and the families in particular.’
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