St Pancras Coroner’s Court

GRIEVING families face further delays to bodies being released for burials after a Covid-19 outbreak in the coroner’s service.

Senior coroner Mary Hassell, who runs the service across Camden, Islington Hackney and Tower Hamlets, closed courts to the public in Poplar and St Pancras on January 12 after a number of positive tests.

Camden Council, which is the lead borough for the service in Inner North London, informed faith leaders in a letter last week.

Despite its administrative role, the Town Hall has no oversight over the service.

As a result of the cases, deaths are being processed slower which could lead to a backlog – and the bodies of Jews and Muslims being released too late to be buried the day after their death, which is a key tenet of the religions.

Three council l officials are helping cover the shortfall in the service. A series of inquests have also been postponed until March since the closure, and disruption is expected to last until the end of this week.

A letter from Cllr Abdul Hai to faith leaders said: “I’ve also stressed the vital importance of ensuring that as many cases as possible are managed by the senior coroner and her team over the coming days to allow the deceased to be released to bereaved families at the earliest opportunity.

“There is of course clearly a need for the senior coroner to continue to consider the needs of faith communities when prioritising individual cases.”

Ms Hassell lost a legal case in spring 2018 over the so-called “cab rank system”, which did not prioritise deaths of people whose religion meant they needed to be buried more quickly. A high court judge ruled against her, saying in a judgment that her system was “irrational” and “discriminatory”.

SEE ALSO FAMILIES ARE LEFT WAITING FOR FUNERALS AS CORONER’S SERVICE IS ‘OVERWHELMED’

Lord Justice Singh added: “What on its face looks like a general policy which applies to everyone equally may in fact have an unequal impact on a minority. In other words, to treat everyone in the same way is not necessarily to treat them equally. Uniformity is not the same thing as equality.”

The New Journal reported in October that a “backlog of bodies” was delaying the funeral of South End Green flower seller John Atkins Senior. His family said they had to wait at least three weeks before being able to bury him.

Camden’s community chief Cllr Hai said: “Due to the impact of the pandemic on the availability of coroner court officers, who are either self-isolating or thankfully recovering from the effects of the virus, both St Pancras and Poplar courts are temporarily closed to the public, however the senior coroner has informed us that cases are still being processed at this time.

“I fully recognise the impact that the reduced level of service is likely to have on bereaved families and particularly faith communities, and will continue to stress the need for the senior coroner to take urgent action to minimise the disruption.

“The council has written to the Metropolitan Police, who provide the specially trained court officers, to highlight the impact that the current staff shortages are having on the service and has also provided additional administrative support to the coroner at this time in the form of three council officers, who are currently supporting the courts.”

Camden coroner’s service was contacted by phone and email, but has not provided a comment by either Ms Hassell or her officials.