His Majesty's Coroner for Brighton & Hove is an independent judicial officer who follows laws that apply to coroners and inquests. It is the duty of the Coroner to investigate deaths reported to her, that appear to be:
sudden and of unknown cause
unnatural or due to violence, or
occur in legal custody
It is the responsibility of the Coroner to make enquiries which will establish:
who the deceased was
when and where he or she died
how he or she died
If a death was sudden or unexpected the deceased may be taken to the Brighton & Hove City Mortuary and the Coroner informed. The Coroner's investigations may require a post-mortem examination, carried out at the mortuary, to find out the cause of death. In a small amount of cases, it may be necessary to hold an inquest.
Contacting the Coroner
The Coroner can be contacted Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm on (01273) 292046. The Coroner's Office is located within the grounds of Woodvale Crematorium, near the Lewes Road gate.