Jury to examine death of detained woman

Trafalgar House police stationImage source, Google
Image caption,

Claire Harper was held at Trafalgar House police station after being arrested

  • Published

A jury will be asked to examine the events leading up to the death of a detained woman in 2018.

At a pre-inquest review hearing at Bradford Coroner's Court, assistant coroner Peter Merchant said a jury would hear evidence of what happened leading up to the death of Claire Harper.

Ms Harper was arrested in the early hours of 7 January 2018, but was later found unresponsive in a police cell and subsequently died in hospital.

The full inquest is scheduled to start on 25 November to determine if any action, or omission, contributed to her death.

Mr Merchant laid out the scope of the inquest, which a jury will consider.

The coroner said the jury will examine the events Ms Harper's arrest at 12:07 GMT on 7 January 2018 and subsequent detention at Trafalgar House police station in Bradford from 12:44 GMT until her death at Bradford Royal Infirmary at 1:14 GMT.

The scope of the inquest, which might be revised, will be to examine:

  • The actions regarding the frequency of observations

  • The observations undertaken and in Ms Harper's presentation upon those actions

  • The examination of Ms Harper by health care staff

  • The assistance and action made during her time at Bradford Royal Infirmary

  • The response once Ms Harper was found collapsed

  • If there were any actions or omissions and if so were those causative or contributory to the death.

The inquest is set to last for about four weeks.

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