The Office for Judicial Complaints is investigating the case of an assistant deputy coroner who was appointed by her senior coroner husband despite not having the minimum required experience.

Solicitor Suzanne Greenaway was appointed an assistant deputy coroner in 2009 on the recommendation of her husband, Dr Andrew Scott Reid, coroner for inner north London. In October 2011, Greenaway conducted the inquest into the death of the singer Amy Winehouse (pictured). She resigned the following month when it emerged that she had not satisfied the minimum requirement of five years’ post-qualification experience as a practitioner in England and Wales. At the time of the Winehouse inquest, Greenaway, who had previously practised in Australia, had been qualified in England for only two years.

Reid has written to families affected by 12 inquests and offered to have their cases reheard. He said: ‘I appointed my wife as an assistant deputy coroner as I believed at the time that her experience as a solicitor and barrister in Australia satisfied the requirements of the post. In November 2011 it became apparent that I had made an error and I accepted her resignation.’

City firm Anthony Gold commercial dispute resolution partner Clifford Tibber said: ‘The families are entitled to have an inquest held by a coroner. If Ms Greenaway was not qualified, the inquests must be quashed and restarted. Whether the families really want to go through all that again remains to be seen.’ A Camden Council spokesman said: ‘Under the Coroners Act 1988, the coroner writes to the local authority to confirm any recommendations to appoint within his jurisdiction. In November 2011 it was identified that the coroner had made an error in good faith.’