Shoreham air show crash: Families given fresh hope for legal aid

(Top row, left to right) The victims: Matt Jones, Matthew Grimstone, Jacob Schilt, Maurice Abrahams, Richard Smith. (Bottom row, left to right) Mark Reeves, Tony Brightwell, Mark Tussler, Daniele Polito, Dylan Archer, Graham Mallinson

Families of the Shoreham air disaster victims have been given fresh hope they will secure legal aid before an inquest begins into the 11 men's deaths.

A vintage jet crashed on to the A27 in West Sussex on 22 August 2015.

An application for exceptional case funding was rejected by the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) last year.

But the government has said it would review the plea after a lawyer said the coroner had decided to examine state responsibility.

James Healy-Pratt, head of aviation at Stewarts Law, who is representing some of the families by working pro bono, welcomed the ruling but described the legal aid battle as "like trying to get blood out of a stone".

'Ridiculous'

He said the coroner's direction came as a result of a legal application he made to extend the reach of the inquest.

The inquiry will now also consider the role of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) among other areas, he added.

The families had been facing the prospect of no financial support to cover legal costs during the inquest, due to take place next year.

The CPS confirmed last week that the jet pilot Andy Hill, 54, from Hertfordshire, would face manslaughter charges.

The decision not to grant legal aid was called "absurd" by critics and almost 5,000 people signed a petition in protest.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman confirmed: "We will review the decision when in receipt of the written ruling from the coroner and any further information from representatives."

A spokeswoman for the coroner acknowledged the ruling but would not provide any information on its contents.

Leslye Polito, 65, of Goring-by-Sea, who lost her 23-year-old son Daniele in the crash, branded the situation "ridiculous".

She added: "We hope common sense prevails and we get some good news soon."

The Department for Transport is reviewing how the industry is regulated following recommendations made by the Air Accident Investigations Branch last year.

The CAA said it was continuing to assist the coroner ahead of the inquest but it would be inappropriate to comment before it took place.