Cabinet Office UK Resilience

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Case Study

Topic

Coroners’ Inquests

Incident / Exercise

Incident: London Bombings, 7 July 2005

Background and Context

The bombings in London on 7 July 2005 killed 56 people (including the 4 bombers) and seriously injured around 50 others. Approximately 800 other people suffered minor injuries, or were directly involved in the four explosions – three on the London Underground at Edgware Road, Aldgate and Kings Cross/Russell Square, and one on a bus at Tavistock Square.

How the Topic was Handled

The London bombings affected three coroners’ districts: City of London (Aldgate), Inner North London (Russell Square and Tavistock Square) and Inner West London (Edgware Road). The City of London coroner immediately transferred his cases to Inner North London (under section 14 of the Coroners Act 1988), and arrangements have subsequently been made to transfer all of the inquests to the Inner West London district, to enable them to be held together.

After inquests were opened, the bodies were released to the families for funerals . The inquests initially stood adjourned pending the outcome of the police investigations and the subsequent conspiracy trials. Arrangements for the inquests to resume are now being made. The costs of inquests are met by the relevant local authorities.

Lessons Identified

None provided

Contacts for Further Information

Tel: 020 3334 3555