AN inquest into the death a man who died after paramedics were called to his home will provide a wider investigation into the incident in March 2022.
During a procedural hearing yesterday ahead of the inquest into Frazer Irvine’s death, which was set to begin in earnest this morning, Coroner Bridget Dolan gave an indication of how the inquest will be carried out.
Following Mr Irvine’s death, paramedics John Sutherland and Tom Le Sauteur were convicted of failing to provide reasonable care to a patient who later died and given conditional discharges.
The two men’s appeals against their convictions was lost four months later, and in January of this year they resigned from the Jersey Ambulance Service.
Mrs Dolan said that it was unusual for an inquest to take place after criminal proceedings had concluded.
The hearing would proceed as a broader inquest, she explained, encompassing a wider investigation into the circumstances of death in line with Article 2 of the European Convention of Human Rights.
Mrs Dolan said the inquest would look at the extent to which organisational policies and procedures and other guidance in place were applicable and were complied with by staff, as well as considering whether there were any shortcomings in policies, procedures or guidance which could be of relevance to the death and might help prevent similar deaths in the future.
The inquest would be “wholly separate” from the criminal case, she said, and would potentially look at some areas not addressed during the court proceedings.
Mr Irvine’s parents were among those in attendance for the procedural hearing.
Footage from body-worn cameras used by police officers who were called to Mr Irvine’s home in Trinity is expected to be played as part of the inquest, although Mrs Dolan said she did not wish to have repeated screenings of this footage, in order not to add to the upset caused to Mr Irvine’s mother and father.
The inquest is expected to conclude on Friday.
