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Inquests granted

17/ 7/2002

THE possibility that Harold Shipman could attend any possible inquests emerged by the end of April, 2000.

Despite awaiting Home Secretary Jack Straw's decision on holding inquests, coroner John Pollard issued a statement saying Shipman had been invited to attend.

"It is my intention to inform Dr Shipman of those inquests and to notify him of his right to attend subject of course to his being able to make suitable arrangements with the prison authorities for such attendance if he wishes to avail himself," Mr Pollard said.

Hilda Hibbert's granddaughter, Jane Ashton-Hibbert, said many families were preparing for such an eventuality.

"Our group has 13 of the 23 families involved in this and most of them want inquests," she said.

"We are now arranging to have support at the inquests so that when the families come face-to-face with him (Shipman), we will all be able to help each other though the proceedings."

Shortly afterwards and Mr Straw MP gave the green light to inquests being staged, while the coroner announced the inquests into the deaths of Sarah Ashworth, Christine Kitchen and Elizabeth Mellor were to be heard from August onwards that year.

By July, it was evident Shipman would not be attending the inquests - although the decision wasn't necessarily going to be his own, as any Category A prisoner has to undergo a risk assessment before leaving Frankland Prison in Durham.

Ultimately, we know the GP didn't attend, nor was he to take up an offer of a live video link - which had been successfully tested in London and Bristol by this time, with Tameside Magistrates' Court approached to see if they had any objections to utilising it.

The three inquests into Mrs Ashworth, Mrs Kitchen and Mrs Mellor were all heard in late summer 2000. Each recorded verdicts of unlawful killing.

In January the following year, the inquest of Hilda Hibbert opened up a series of 27 hearings - with all but two again recording unlawful killing verdicts.