Emma-Louise Fenelon

Inquests

Emma is regularly instructed on behalf of NHS Trusts, individual doctors and bereaved families in inquests. She has appeared in numerous contentious Article 2 inquests arising from deaths in custody, and inquests involving mental health settings, community care and domestic violence.

She was previously instructed to assist the Coroner’s Legal Team in the Inquests into the Birmingham Pub Bombings (1974). For more information click here.

Emma is committed to pro bono representation and has been instructed on a pro bono basis for the Centre For Women’s Justice, AvMA and Advocate on behalf of bereaved families and individual doctors. She is regularly involved in personal injury, clinical negligence and human rights claims arising out of inquests.

Selected Cases

• Inquest into the death of CS: Represented the family of a man who died in HMP Lowdham Grange. The jury returned a neglect finding, and the Coroner referred 17 medically qualified witnesses to their professional body.
• Inquest into the death of NH: Instructed on behalf of the Family, successfully persuaded the Coroner to resume an inquest considering the murder of a woman by her partner shortly after she ceased to be a child in Local Authority care.
• Inquest into the death of BL: Represented 21 NHS Trust employees involved in the care of a woman who died in a psychiatric unit.
• Inquest into the death of DES: Acting for the family at an inquest considering a history of domestic violence. Persuaded the Coroner to instruct an expert in policing domestic violence and coercive and controlling behaviour.
• Inquest into the death of MD: Represented the family at an inquest highlighting differences in antenatal care for large babies due to geography.
• Inquest into the death of CC: Represented the family of a young woman who died as a result of an overdose of DHP, a toxic diet pill.
• Inquest into the death of MN: Represented 11 employees of a psychiatric intensive care unit at an Article 2 inquest into the death of a 14 year old girl.
• Inquest into the death of AH: Represented an individual doctor at a 5 week inquest into the care of a young woman who died from anorexia nervosa.
• Inquest into the death of ZY: Represented two GPs at an Article 2 inquest concerning the suicide of pregnant woman.
• Inquest into the death of Prince Fosu: Represented a GP in a month long inquest into the death of a man at Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre.
• Inquest into the death of YS: Represented a local authority in an inquest concerning mental health and community care.
• Inquest into the death of WT: Represented the family in an inquest concerning the death of a man following A&E discharge.
• Inquest into the death of RS: Represented the NHS Healthcare provider at Chelmsford Prison in an Article 2 inquest into the death of a man who committed suicide in prison.
• Inquest into the death of DB: Represented The Forward Trust, a charity providing substance misuse services, at an inquest into the death of a man at HMP Lewes.
• Inquest into the death of AM: Represented the family in an inquest into the death of a man who was found unconscious in the bath at a psychiatric hospital.
• Inquest into the death of AA: Represented Essex Partnership University NHS Trust at an Article 2 jury inquest into the death of a man who committed suicide in prison.
• Inquest into the death of PA: Represented Pennine NHS Foundation Trust in an inquest into the death of a man who committed suicide at a London underground station.
• Inquest into the death of Baby O: Represented a Paediatric Registrar during an inquest into the death of a baby at St. Mary’s Hospital on the Isle of Wight.
• Inquest into the death of MB: Appeared for the NHS Trust at Bedford Prison in an Article 2 jury inquest into the death of a man who committed suicide in prison.
• Inquest into the death of TS: Acted for the NHS Healthcare provider at Chelmsford Prison in an Article 2 jury inquest into the death of a man who died from a drug overdose in prison.
• Inquest into the death of MB: Appeared for the NHS Trust in an inquest into the death of a woman who died following a missed hip fracture diagnosis.
• Inquest into the death of HC: Appeared for the NHS Trust in an inquest concerning the death of a man with a cardiac condition.