Published: February 09, 2012
EXCLUSIVE by RICHARD OSLEY

THE Camden coroner who hired his unqualified wife to preside over inquests has been suspended from his job.

The Office for Judicial Complaints confirmed to the New Journal late last night (Wednesday) that St Pancras coroner Dr Andrew Reid will not oversee any hearings while a conduct inquiry is taking place.

Investigators are looking at his decision to appoint Suzanne Greenaway, his wife, to the publicly paid post of assistant deputy coroner at the courthouse in King’s Cross in 2009.

Ms Greenaway, who presided over singer Amy Winehouse’s inquest last year and around 30 other hearings before that at St Pancras and Poplar Coroner’s Court, stepped down from that role in November.

It was discovered at that time she did not meet all of the requirements for the post, ­having not practised as a lawyer in the United Kingdom for five years.

Officials suggested she took the job in “good faith” but past experience as a barrister in her native Australia could not be taken into consideration under the appointment rules.

Dr Reid, who has himself handled several high-profile inquests, was appointed by the Ministry of Justice.

Once in the job, like all coroners, he is then tasked with recruiting his own staff at St Pancras Coroner’s Court.

In a statement last week, he said that in the case of Ms Greenaway there had been an “error in the appointment process”.

The coroner added that he had confidence that all the inquests Ms Greenaway handled were completed correctly, but said he was writing to relatives of those affected to “personally apologise” and offer fresh hearings.

Inquests are held when there are uncertain circumstances following a person’s death. In the case of Ms Winehouse, the award-winning Back To Black singer found dead at her Camden Square home last summer, Ms Greenaway reached a verdict of death by “misad­venture”.

The Office for Judicial Complaints did not expand last night (Wednesday) on a brief statement confirming that Dr Reid  had been suspended. It is not known what new information, if any, has been shown to investigators. It is also not known at this stage how long the conduct investigation is likely to take.

A busy schedule of upcoming inquests at St Pancras will be overseen by Dr Reid’s deputy staff in the meantime.

Camden Council rubber-stamps the coroner’s appointments but said last week it was not aware at the time of Ms Greenaway’s appointment that she was his wife, although there is no suggestion that this fact was deliberately concealed.

A council spokesman said last night: “The Deputy Coroner and Assistant Deputy Coroners have been informed and will continue to operate the Coronial function for the four Inner North London Boroughs whilst we await the outcome of the investigations carried out by the Office for Judicial Complaints.”