Leanne Woods

Inquests

Leanne has a wealth of experience of inquests, including a number of high profile, long-running cases. She regularly acts in Article 2 inquests for families, NHS Trusts, healthcare practitioners, the prison service and police forces. She frequently acts for medical staff in death in custody inquests.

She has specialist knowledge of dealing with public interest immunity issues in the context of inquests, including applications to the High Court.

Leanne also sits as an Assistant Coroner in London East.

Selected Cases

• Inquest into the death of Baby F (2020): Represented family of stillborn baby at inquest where the Coroner identified 11 recommendations in their Prevention of Future Death Reports.
• Inquest into the death of SDF (2020): Appeared for Metropolitan Police Service at inquest into the death of a woman in custody.
• Inquest into the death of PD (2020): Acted for CCG in complex inquest into the death of man from sepsis and advanced infection in a care home.
• Inquest into the death of Alexander Perepilichnyy: Junior counsel to the inquest in this inquest into the unexplained death of a Russian national on British soil in which Russian state involvement was alleged.
• HM Coroner for Surrey v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2016] EWHC 3001 (Admin):  Junior counsel for the Surrey Coroner in the Home Secretary’s application to withhold documents from an inquest on public interest immunity grounds.
• Inquest into the death of Daryl Hargrave: Acting for the Prison and Probation Service in a 4 week inquest into the suicide of a young prisoner who suffered from psychosis.
• Inquest into the death of Amy El-Keria: Acting for a psychiatrist in 4 week inquest into the death of a 14 year old who died while having psychiatric care at the Priory Hospital.
• Inquest into the death of Daniel Maynard: Acting for the Metropolitan Police Service in inquest into death of a mentally ill man who killed himself after police contact.
• Hillsborough inquests: Worked with Charles Russell Speechlys as part of the legal team acting for The FA.
• Inquest into the death of Scot Young: Representing a mental health trust in the inquest into the death of a millionaire who died after falling onto railings outside his flat, shortly after being discharged from a mental health facility.
• Inquests into the 52 deaths arising from the 7 July 2005 London bombings: Instructed as sole junior for the British Transport Police.