{"id":661417,"date":"2026-04-23T17:20:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T15:20:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.com\/jurisprudences\/william-leeson-r-on-the-application-of-v-her-majestys-area-coroner-for-manchester-south\/"},"modified":"2026-04-23T17:20:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T15:20:34","slug":"william-leeson-r-on-the-application-of-v-her-majestys-area-coroner-for-manchester-south","status":"publish","type":"kji_decision","link":"https:\/\/kohenavocats.com\/zh-hans\/jurisprudences\/william-leeson-r-on-the-application-of-v-her-majestys-area-coroner-for-manchester-south\/","title":{"rendered":"WILLIAM LEESON (R on the application of) v HER MAJESTY\u2019S AREA CORONER FOR MANCHESTER SOUTH"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"kji-decision\">\n<div class=\"kji-full-text\">\n<p>MR JUSTICE FORDHAM: 1. I am going to grant permission for judicial review in this case. In my judgment, the claim crosses the threshold of arguability. That does not mean that I think the claim will succeed or that I think it will fail. What it means is that the claim is properly arguable and should be considered at a substantive hearing. 2. The Coroner\u2019s reasoned Ruling on the scope of the inquest limits the temporal focus on events from the arrival of Ms Leeson (the deceased) on holiday in Denmark (on 3 June 2017) until the day of her death (6 June 2017). The context is that this is a resumed inquest, after an acquittal at a crown court trial: see Chief Coroner\u2019s Law Sheet No.6 at \u00a720. A conclusion of \u201cunlawful killing\u201d (see Chief Coroner\u2019s Law Sheet No.1) has been recognised as being one possibility open to the Coroner. That was recognised by the Judge who considered permission on the papers. It is recognised by Mr Browne QC on behalf of the First Interested Party, in his skeleton argument and confirmed in his oral submissions: he accepts that \u201cunlawful killing\u201d and whether such a conclusion can appropriately be arrived at in the inquest is one of what the Coroner described as \u201cthe central issues\u201d. Ms Cartwright QC emphasises the importance of \u201cunlawful killing\u201d too, but she contends that the Coroner\u2019s approach or the consequence of his ruling has served inappropriately, in effect, to exclude that possibility. The possible conclusion of \u201cunlawful killing\u201d links to an \u201cunlawful force\u201d alternative described by Goose J (at \u00a716) in his Ruling on the Submission of No Case to Answer at the criminal trial. That Ruling is, at least arguably, a relevant reference point. In relation to that alternative, Goose J in that Ruling (at \u00a714) listed \u201cthe circumstantial evidence\u201d as to actions \u201cbefore, during and after the trip to Denmark\u201d. 3. As the Coroner rightly recognised, scope is not to be determined \u201cby looking at the broad circumstances of what occurred and requiring all matters touching those circumstances to be explored\u201d: see Coroner for the Birmingham Inquests v Hambleton [2018] EWCA Civ 2081 \u00a751. As Mr Browne QC emphasises, the scope of the enquiry is a \u201cmatter of judgment\u201d for the Coroner, described as involving a \u201cwide area of judgment\u201d and a \u201cconsiderable discretion\u201d: see Hambleton \u00a750 (and the other passages in that judgment at \u00a7\u00a747-57). The Coroner\u2019s decision on scope is only challengeable by judicial review if \u201cinfected with a public law failing\u201d; specifically, \u201cunreasonableness\u201d in its public law sense: see Hambleton \u00a7\u00a748, 51. As Mr Browne QC rightly puts it, it is \u201cclassic judicial review territory\u201d and a \u201chigh bar\u201d. He also points out that Hambleton is an Article 2 case. 4. The Coroner\u2019s Ruling on scope recognised the \u201csignificant questions arising from the medical evidence\u201d, as Mr Browne QC has reminded me. In the Ruling, the Coroner said that findings on \u201cfinancial and other such matters\u201d were not appropriate. He said a \u201cwide range of financial and circumstantial matters considered in the course of the criminal trial were obviously relevant in the context of a prosecution which sought to establish \u2026 guilt to a charge of murder\u201d, where \u201cissues of motive are inevitably highly relevant\u201d. But he said he was \u201cnot persuaded\u201d that these would \u201cgo any significant way to assisting\u201d him, their \u201cexploration\u201d being \u201cunlikely\u201d to result in \u201cdirect additional evidence\u201d as to \u201cby what means Ms Leeson came by her death\u201d. Among the points made on behalf of the Claimant \u2013 in relation to whether the Ruling on scope was a response reasonably open to the Coroner \u2013 are these. The point is made that fact-finding at an inquest as to \u201cunlawful killing\u201d, appropriately to be considered as an alternative in this case, involves the same \u201celements\u201d as arise in a criminal trial (Law Sheet No.1; Law Sheet No. 6 \u00a7\u00a712, 21), albeit with a distinctive and inquisitorial process and with the application of the civil standard of balance of probabilities (Law Sheet No. 6 \u00a76). The point is made that, in principle, \u201cmotive\u201d is relevant. The point is made that, in principle, so is \u201ccircumstantial\u201d evidence, albeit that such evidence is by its nature not \u201cdirect \u2026 evidence\u201d. 5. Whether expressed in terms of statutory purpose or the sufficiency of the enquiry, or by reference simply to unreasonableness, I am satisfied that the threshold of arguability in the application of the reasonableness standard of review is crossed in this case. That is all I have decided. 6. Although the claim for judicial review was filed at the end of 3 months, I am satisfied in all the circumstances that there was no lack of promptness \u2013 nor is there a sufficient degree of hardship, prejudice or detriment \u2013 such as would justify the refusal of permission on delay grounds. I recognise the impact and implications for the inquest, and for the First Interested Party. I also respect the fact, as it is put in the papers: \u201cWhere, as here, the proceedings relate to the examination of events culminating in the tragic and untimely death of a family member, the cost is more than financial. Decisions to commit to litigation and legal challenge require psychological and emotional evaluation of a sustained kind.\u201d 7. I add, as an endnote, that I made a \u2018transmission direction\u2019 order at the request of a journalist, to allow remote observance of the hearing by CVP. All participants were in the court room. In light of the travel advice this week, I was satisfied \u2013 having regard to the new criteria and the new Practice Guidance (Remote Observation of Hearings) \u2013 that it was appropriate to allow observation remotely, in the interests of justice and of open justice. 19.7.22<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr class=\"kji-sep\" \/>\n<p class=\"kji-source-links\"><strong>Sources officielles :<\/strong> <a class=\"kji-source-link\" href=\"https:\/\/caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk\/ewhc\/admin\/2022\/1894\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">consulter la page source<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"kji-license-note\"><em>Open Justice Licence (The National Archives).<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>MR JUSTICE FORDHAM: 1. I am going to grant permission for judicial review in this case. In my judgment, the claim crosses the threshold of arguability. That does not mean that I think the claim will succeed or that I think it will fail. What it means is that the claim is properly arguable and should be considered at a&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_crdt_document":""},"kji_country":[7608],"kji_court":[7649],"kji_chamber":[],"kji_year":[32183],"kji_subject":[7650],"kji_keyword":[9161,7622,11041,14945,18175],"kji_language":[7611],"class_list":["post-661417","kji_decision","type-kji_decision","status-publish","hentry","kji_country-royaume-uni","kji_court-high-court-administrative-court","kji_year-32183","kji_subject-administratif","kji_keyword-coroner","kji_keyword-evidence","kji_keyword-ruling","kji_keyword-scope","kji_keyword-unlawful","kji_language-anglais"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.5 (Yoast SEO v27.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>WILLIAM LEESON (R on the application of) v HER MAJESTY\u2019S AREA CORONER FOR MANCHESTER SOUTH - Ma\u00eetre Hassan Kohen, avocat en droit p\u00e9nal \u00e0 Paris<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/kohenavocats.com\/zh-hans\/jurisprudences\/william-leeson-r-on-the-application-of-v-her-majestys-area-coroner-for-manchester-south\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"zh_CN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"WILLIAM LEESON (R on the application of) v HER MAJESTY\u2019S AREA CORONER FOR MANCHESTER SOUTH\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"MR JUSTICE FORDHAM: 1. I am going to grant permission for judicial review in this case. In my judgment, the claim crosses the threshold of arguability. That does not mean that I think the claim will succeed or that I think it will fail. 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I am going to grant permission for judicial review in this case. In my judgment, the claim crosses the threshold of arguability. That does not mean that I think the claim will succeed or that I think it will fail. 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