Relatives of David Fuller’s victims eligible to claim compensation - Dec 2022
Inquests
Peter has immense experience in inquests and coronial law, having spent over 20 years representing coroners and interested persons, from bereaved families to government departments, including the MOJ and the MOD.
He has undertaken many complex and high-profile inquests involving unlawful killing, national security, state detention, health and safety, and medical or psychiatric treatment. Several of these cases have involved hearings in the High Court, Divisional Court and Court of Appeal.
In 2020, Peter acted for the Metropolitan Police Commissioner in the inquests into the deaths of the victims of serial killer Stephen Port; and for the tram operator in the inquests arising from the Croydon tram derailment in 2016. Between 2016 and 2019 he was counsel to the inquests into the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings and the sudden death of the Russian businessman Alexander Perepilichnyy.
Peter has a particular interest in inquests that engage the state’s responsibilities under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, ‘the right to life’. In 2014 and 2015, he was invited by the Chief Coroner to provide a series of lectures on this subject to the coroners of England and Wales.
Listen to Peter discuss the impact of COVID-19 on inquests in Episode 111 of Law Pod UK here.
“Very knowledgeable, excellent in court and on paper.” “His grasp of detail is extraordinary and he is able to distil large volumes of documents into a series of simple propositions for witnesses. His style of questioning is relaxed yet forensic and precise.” (Chambers & Partners 2021)
‘His written work and advocacy are impeccable, and his manner in hearings is just right.’ (Legal 500 2021)
“He has a real mastery of the factual detail and is superb at assimilating material and evidence and getting on top of it all.” “He’s the most relaxed advocate I’ve ever seen; he’s very gentle with witnesses but always gets his point across even when it’s very difficult.” “He’s almost flawless in court: completely fluid and sensible. He doesn’t take bad points and when he has a good one he puts it across efficiently and persuasively.” (Chambers & Partners 2020)
‘He has a relaxed bedside manner that hides a ruthless streak that cuts to the core of any issue.’ (Legal 500 2019)
“He’s very bright, effective and has a very nice, laid-back manner in court.” “He is a really superb public lawyer.” (Chambers & Partners 2019)
‘He can plot the way through complex issues and his knowledge of coronial law is superb.’ (Legal 500 2018)
“A confident advocate and good communicator.” (Legal 500 2017)
“He comes up with novel ideas, provides a realistic and sensible evaluation of cases and deals with difficult clients well. He just navigates the course through.” “Great on his feet, thinks quickly, sharp as a razor and very articulate.” (Chambers & Partners 2017)
“Simply excellent.” (Legal 500 2016)
Selected Cases
- Stephen Port Inquests.
- Croydon Tram Inquests.
- R (Wandsworth Borough Council) v HM Senior Coroner for Inner West London [2021] EWHC 801 (Admin).
- Farrell v HM Coroner for North East Hampshire [2021] EWHC 778 (Admin).
- Birmingham Inquests (1974).
- Coroner for Birmingham Inquests (1974) v Hambleton [2018] EWCA Civ 2081.
- Alexander Perepilichnyy Inquest.
- Secretary of State for the Home Department v HM Senior Coroner for Surrey [2017] EWHC 3001 (Admin), [2017] 4 WLR 191.
- Alice Gross Inquest.
- Brecon Beacons Inquest.
- In Amenas Inquest.
Peter Skelton QC appointed as a Deputy High Court Judge - Aug 2021
Congratulations to Peter Skelton QC on his appointment as a Deputy High Court Judge in 2021. He will hear cases in the Queen’s Bench Division and sit for up to 30 days each year in addition to his...
Chief Coroner provides useful guidance for how coroners should approach findings of fact and conclusions at inquests - Apr 2021
On 31st March the Divisional Court, in a leading judgment by the Chief Coroner HHJ Teague QC, provided some useful guidance on how coroners should approach findings of fact and conclusions at...
Divisional Court clarifies court’s approach to applications for fresh inquests - Apr 2021
Judgment was handed down by the Divisional Court on 30th March in a case which clarifies the principles governing whether to order a fresh inquest. Mary Farrell, whose son had died from a terminal...
Hear from Peter Skelton QC at Evershed & Sutherlands webinar: The Practical Guide to Public Inquiries - Nov 2020
Join Eversheds & Sutherlands at 5.15pm on 25 November with Peter Skelton QC joining an expert panel, Sarah Jones, Isabelle Mitchell, Peter Jones, Nicholas Griffin QC and Rory Phillips QC. They...
Undercover Policing Inquiry’s hearings begin today - Nov 2020
Today, 2nd November, the Undercover Policing Inquiry starts its hearings with seven days of live-streamed opening statements, followed by seven days of evidence hearings. The full schedule and how the...
Inquests in Interesting Times Webinar - Jun 2020
Experts in Inquest Law discuss different key topics related to inquest during a pandemic at this webinar on 18th June 2020 chaired by Clodagh Bradley QC. Peter Skelton QC covered Article 2 in...
LawPod UK Ep. 111: Covid-19 and Inquests with Peter Skelton QC - May 2020
In Episode 111 Emma-Louise Fenelon discusses with Peter Skelton QC the recent changes in legislation and guidance concerning the Coronial jurisdiction since the outbreak of Covid-19 and the ways in...
Is this too sensitive? Dealing with difficult issues in Inquests and Inquiries - Oct 2019
Welcome to an evening of debate with three teams of 1COR speakers with extensive experience in their roles in major inquests and inquiries. They will discuss the different perspectives and lessons...
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse publish investigation report into Accountability and Reparations - Sep 2019
On 19th September 2019, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse published a report in its Accountability and Reparations Investigation. The Investigation is looking at the effectiveness of...
Peter Skelton QC appointed Counsel for the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police at the Undercover Policing Inquiry - Sep 2019
Peter Skelton QC has been instructed to represent the Metropolitan Police at the Undercover Policing Inquiry (UCPI). The Inquiry is chaired by Sir John Mitting and was set up by the Home Secretary...
Peter Skelton QC in hearing of claim by child of an undercover police officer - May 2019
Peter Skelton QC is appearing for the Metropolitan Police Commissioner in a hearing today, Wednesday 15th May 2019, arising from the personal injury claim brought by ‘TBS’ the son of a former...
The Birmingham Pub Bombings Inquest concludes - Apr 2019
On 5th April 2019, the jury returned its determination in the Birmingham Inquests 1974, which concerned the deaths of 21 people in the Birmingham Pub Bombings on 21 November 1974. The jury...
The Birmingham Pub Bombings Inquest opens - Feb 2019
On 25th February 2019 the Birmingham Inquests 1974, also known as the Birmingham Pub Bombings Inquest, officially commenced. The inquest is looking into the deaths of 21 people who died in or near the...
Inquest into the death of Alexander Perepilichnyy concludes - Dec 2018
Coroner concludes that Alexander Perepilichnyy likely died of natural causes. Peter Skelton QC and Rob Wastell acted as Counsel to the Coroner in this high profile inquest into the death of Russian...
The Kenyan Emergency Group Litigation is at an end - Nov 2018
All claims against the UK Government (the Foreign & Commonwealth Office) in the massive Kenya Emergency Group Litigation litigation have been dismissed. The action is at an end. On 21 November...
Guy Mansfield QC upholds Kenya Emergency Group Litigation judgment in Court of Appeal - Oct 2018
Following an expedited oral hearing, the Court of Appeal on Tuesday, 9 October, in a reserved judgment, [2018] EWCA Civ 2213, refused the Claimant permission to appeal the decision of Stewart J in the...
Peter Skelton QC, Matthew Hill and Gideon Barth successful in Court of Appeal inquests challenge - Sep 2018
The Court of Appeal today handed down judgment in a case arising from the renewed inquests into the Birmingham Pub Bombings. The case concerns the breadth of investigation that a coroner must...
Peter Skelton QC, Matthew Hill and Gideon Barth in Court of Appeal inquests challenge - Jul 2018
Peter Skeleton QC, Matthew Hill and Gideon Barth have appeared before the Lord Chief Justice in the Court of Appeal in a case arising from the renewed inquests into the Birmingham Pub Bombings of...
1COR Public Law Seminar – Life, Liberty & Security - Sep 2017
Date: 11th September 2017 We will be tweeting using the hash tag: #1CORpublic Registration: 16:30pm onwards Programme: 17:00 - 17:50 Panel Discussion chaired by Mrs Justice Whipple. ...
Peter Skelton QC and Robert Wastell, Leanne Woods instructed as counsel for the inquest into Mr Perepilichnyy’s death - Apr 2017
Alexander Perepilichnyy, 44, died after collapsing near his home in Surrey on 10th November 2012 following a lunch with his wife that day. Peter Skelton QC, Robert Wastell and Leanne Woods are...
Profits from the sale of the Inquest Book given to the Bar Pro Bono Unit - Nov 2016
The Inquest Book: The Law on Coroners and Inquests edited by Caroline Cross was published earlier this year. This week, profits raised of £954.41 have been donated to the Bar Pro Bono Unit by the...
Birmingham bombings inquest to be reopened - Jun 2016
Following an application from three of the families of those who died in the bombings, the Senior Coroner for Birmingham has ruled that the inquest into the deaths of the 21 people be reopened. The...
Birmingham Coroner hears application to re-open inquests into the 1974 IRA Birmingham Pub bombings - Feb 2016
The Senior Coroner for Birmingham has ordered West Midlands Police to disclose documents relating to any advance warnings that were received prior to the IRA pub bombings in Birmingham on 21 November...
‘Six of the Best!’ 6 members appointed Queen’s Counsel - Jan 2016
We are absolutely delighted to announce the appointment of Marina Wheeler, Henry Witcomb, Owain Thomas, Jeremy Hyam, Clodagh Bradley and Peter Skelton as Queen's Counsel. This provides welcome...
1COR quiz team wins the Leigh Day / Silverlining Brain Injury Charity Quiz night - Feb 2015
1COR beat all the competition in the Leigh Day / Silverlining Brain Injury Quiz on Thursday 12 February 2015. The team consisted of 8 members of Chambers; Amelia Walker, Lois Williams, Judith...
New appointments to the Attorney General’s A and C Panels - Feb 2014
We are delighted to announce the following new appointments to the Attorney General's Panels - Peter Skelton, Robert Kellar and Sarabjit Singh to the A Panel and Isabel McArdle and Alasdair Henderson...
4 members of 1COR in the Kenyan Mau Mau Case - Jun 2013
The Mau Mau uprising, which took place in central Kenya between 1952 and 1961, was a rebellion against British colonial rule. Claims were brought by four Kenyans for serious personal injuries and...
Nine members of 1COR involved in Al-Sweady Public Inquiry - Mar 2013
After more than three years of preliminary investigations, Monday, 4 March marked the commencement of oral hearings in the Al-Sweady Public Inquiry. The Inquiry was announced by the Secretary of State...
New Appointments to the Attorney General’s A, B and C Panels – February 2013 - Feb 2013
We are delighted to announce the following new appointments to the Attorney General's Panels - Owain Thomas to the A Panel (a re-appointment), Amy Mannion and John Jolliffe to the B Panel and Caroline...
One Crown Office Row instructed on Jimmy Savile claims - Feb 2013
Members of One Crown Office Row have been instructed to act for many of those allegedly abused by Jimmy Savile. Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel QC, Justin Levinson and Peter Skelton have been instructed by...
Members of 1COR acted in the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust Public Inquiry - Feb 2013
Members of One Crown Office Row were involved in this inquiry, drawing on their combined expertise in clinical negligence and public law. The hearings took place from November 2010 until December...
Members of One Crown Office Row acted in the Leveson Inquiry - Nov 2012
Neil Garnham QC and Alasdair Henderson acted for the Metropolitan Police and Peter Skelton acted for the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPC) in the Leveson (phone hacking) Inquiry into the...
Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel QC, Henry Witcomb and Peter Skelton are representing women who were wrongly diagnosed with breast cancer by Ian Paterson - Nov 2012
Mr Ian Paterson has recently been suspended by the GMC after it emerged that he might have performed "unnecessary and inappropriate" breast operations on nearly 1000 women and misdiagnosed nearly 450...
Lizanne Gumbel QC, Justin Levinson and Peter Skelton are instructed to act on behalf of sexual abuse victims of Jimmy Savile - Oct 2012
Lizanne Gumbel QC, Justin Levinson and Peter Skelton have been instructed by more than one firm of solicitors who are acting on behalf of some of the victims of the sexual abuse alleged to have been...
Peter Skelton acting for the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime in the Leveson Inquiry - May 2012
Peter Skelton is acting for the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPC) in the Leveson (phone hacking) inquiry. This body, headed by the Mayor of London, was formerly the Metropolitan Police...
New Appointments to the Attorney General’s A, B and C Panels – February 2012 - Feb 2012
We are delighted to announce the following new appointments to the Attorney General's Panels - Oliver Sanders to the A panel, Robert Wastell to the B panel and Adam Wagner to the C panel. The 23...
Peter Skelton in Supreme Court case on closed material procedure - Jul 2011
Peter Skelton acted for the defendants (the Security Service and others) in the case of Al Rawi & Others v The Security Service & Others in the Supreme Court [2011] UKSC 34. The question in...
Peter Skelton joins One Crown Office Row - Nov 2010