Warwickshire News Mine

He officially left the position at midnight on 31st December.

Mr David Sarginson, HM Coroner for Coventry, has also announced his retirement and both positions will be replaced by one full-time joint Coroner for Coventry and Warwickshire.

Mr Sean McGovern, who is 41 and has most recently held the post of Registrar of the Supreme Court and Deputy Coroner for the Turks and Caicos Islands, will take up the new joint Coroner post.

At its meeting on 11th December, Warwickshire County Council moved a vote of thanks to Mr Coker for 25 years of service at the Coroner’s office in Warwickshire.

Chairman of Warwickshire County Council, Councillor John Wells, will host a special farewell dinner for Mr Coker later this month.

Mr Coker took up post as Assistant Deputy Coroner for Warwickshire in 1983, then became Deputy Coroner in 1985 to HM Coroner Allan Dixon.

On 1st January 1991, he was appointed HM Coroner for Warwickshire, a position that saw Mr Coker investigate the cause and circumstances of a number of high profile deaths in the county.

They included the deaths of 12 school children and their teacher in a minibus crash on the M40 in 1993; the drowning of toddler Abigail Rae at Brailes in November 2003; the death of Baby Lilly, whose body was discovered in a plastic bag by the River Alne in Aston Cantlow in May 2006; and the deaths of the four Fire-fighters who died in November last year whilst fighting a fire at a warehouse in Atherstone on Stour. That inquest has been adjourned pending further investigation and will be re-opened by Mr McGovern.

Mr Coker says that every death he has investigated was a tragedy for some family and he hopes they feel that it has been treated with the same respect and care.

In 2006 alone, 1,971 deaths were referred to Mr Coker and there were 225 inquests held in Warwickshire. An inquest is held in cases where a death was violent or unnatural, took place in prison or police custody, or when the cause of death is still uncertain after a post-mortem.

Mr Coker has been assisted in his role by Deputy Coroner, Richard Armitage, and Assistant Deputy Coroner, Dr Stephen Mather.
Mr Coker was born in Coventry in 1935. He trained as a solicitor in Leamington Spa and was admitted to the Law Society in 1958. He is a former senior partner and now a Consultant with Field Overell Solicitors, who have offices in Leamington and Coventry.

He is also a prominent local politician, being Leader of the Conservatives on Warwick District Council. Mr Coker first became a Councillor in 1976 and represents Kenilworth Abbey ward, an office he has held for over 30 years. 

At Warwick District Council, he is Leader of the Council, Chair of the Executive and a member of the Employment Committee. He is a former Chairman of the District Council, a post he held in 1984 – 85.

He is also a member of Kenilworth Town Council and was Mayor of Kenilworth between 1989 – 90 and last year, 2006 - 07.

Although retiring as Coroner, Mr Coker will be maintaining an active and busy public life, continuing in these roles.

Mr Coker is also Clerk to the General Commissioner of the Income Tax for the four divisions of Leamington and Warwick; Daventry; Rugby and Stratford upon Avon.

He is President of The Friendship Project for children in Warwickshire, a scheme that matches a child, a ‘Younger Friend’, with a volunteer, an ‘Older Friend’, who provides care and interest for 2 to 3 hours a week. He is also Clerk of the Warwickshire Reformatory School Trust and his old school’s bursary fund, the Ratcliffian Association Fund.

Speaking about the appointment of a new joint Coroner for Coventry and Warwickshire, Mr Coker said: “I welcome the appointment of a full time Coroner to serve the county and city as this will provide the service that is required for both but at the same time keep the Coroner close to both communities.

“I am sure that my successor will have the good wishes and support that I have received and the satisfaction that I have enjoyed in answering the many questions that have been posed by families to the Coroner, although subject to the burden when this has not been possible.”

Inquests into deaths referred to the new joint Coroner from Warwickshire will continue to be held locally at venues in the north and south of the county.

Link to WCC