The inquest into the 1974 IRA Guildford Pub bombings is to be resumed

Mr Travers, H M Senior Coroner for Surrey, today decided that he would re-open an inquest into the deaths of four off-duty soldiers and a civilian who were killed when a bomb planted by the IRA went off in a pub in Guildford in October 1974. The inquest was opened in 1974 but then stopped when criminal proceedings against the Guildford Four began. It was never resumed.

Mr Travers said that this left a gap in the official public record as to the details of the deaths of the victims which he considered ought formally to be explored in open court. He said that the resumed inquest would create a credible and reliable account of the victims’ deaths which would respect and honour their memory.

Jeremy Johnson QC and Beatrice Collier are representing the Chief Constable of Surrey at the inquest.