Coronavirus: Inquests to resume after coroner's private hearings row

PA Media claimed six inquests held in private acted against the principles of open justice

Inquests in the Gwent area will resume after a coroner stopped hearings when she was accused of holding them in private during the coronavirus crisis.

Six inquests were allegedly held in private, including that of Carson Price, 13, from Caerphilly.

A war of words ensued after news agency PA Media said it contradicted "principles of open justice".

Only seven people will be allowed into a hearing to allow social distancing, senior coroner Caroline Saunders said.

"In order to comply with the government's requirements for social distancing, I have made some changes to the way that the court will operate at this time," she said in a statement.

She explained she would reserve four spaces for family and three for the press, but other members of the public would not be allowed to attend if all these spaces were taken.

"Once in court, all visitors will be required to sit a distance of at least two metres apart in pre-marked seats," she added.

By law, inquests, which are not to find blame but to find out how someone died, are required to be held in public.

Due to the coronavirus restrictions, many coroners' courts across Wales are not operating.