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Case Study

Topic

Coroners’ Inquests

Incident / Exercise

Incident: London Bombings, 7 July 2005

Background and Context

The bombings in London on 7 July 2005 killed 52 people and seriously injured around 50 others. Approximately 800 other people suffered minor injuries, or were directly involved in the four explosions – three on the London Underground at Edgware Road, Aldgate and Kings Cross/Russell Square, and one on a bus at Tavistock Square.

How the Topic was Handled

The London bombings affected three coroners’ districts: City of London (Aldgate), Inner North London (Russell Square and Tavistock Square) and Inner West London (Edgware Road). The City of London coroner immediately transferred his cases to Inner North London (under section 14 of the Coroners Act 1988). The two other coroners arranged, in discussion with the Metropolitan Police, for forensic post-mortem examinations to be performed on the bodies.

After inquests were opened, the bodies were released to the families for funerals. The inquests stand adjourned awaiting the outcome of the police investigations. The costs of the inquests and the non-forensic element of the post-mortem examination (ie. the cost of the report by the pathologist for the inquests as opposed to any putative trial) will be met by the relevant local authorities (Camden and Westminster with a proportion of the costs being recovered from the other boroughs).

Lessons Identified

None provided

Contacts for Further Information

Ministry of Justice
Selborne House
54 Victoria Street
London
SW1E 6QW.
Tel: 020 7210 8500