Carl Sargeant: Inquest conclusions delivered

The Senior Coroner for North Wales (East & Central), John Gittens, yesterday delivered his factual findings and short-form conclusion in the inquest into the death of Welsh Assembly Member Carl Sargeant.

Georgina Wolfe appeared on behalf of the Labour Party. The short form conclusion was ‘suicide’ but following the decision in Maughan [2019] EWCA Civ 809 which is to be considered by the Supreme Court, the Coroner applied the civil standard of proof but was in any event satisfied to the criminal standard of proof that the death was by suicide.

Carl Sargeant was found deceased at his home on 7 November 2017.  He had been removed from his Ministerial Position on 3 November 2017 and suspended by the Labour Party amidst allegations of inappropriate behaviour made by a number of women.

The Coroner made a Prevention of Future Deaths Report to the Welsh Government. Reflecting the range of improvements and changed implement made by the Labour Party in the immediate aftermath of Carl Sargeant’s death, the Coroner decided that it was not necessary to make any report to the Labour Party.

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Related barristers

Georgina Wolfe

Call 2006

Related areas

Inquests

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