News

Verdict in 7/7 Inquests
6 May 2011

The Coroner, Lady Justice Hallett, has handed down her verdict in to the 52 deaths caused by the London bombings on 7th July 2005. She concluded that all 52 deceased were unlawfully killed by the suicide bombs detonated on the London transport system. The Coroner also found that the bombings could not have reasonably been prevented by the Security Service and that none of the deceased would have survived even if attended to earlier by the emergency services. However the Coroner has delivered a lengthy Rule 43 Report making recommendations to the Security Service, Transport for London and the emergency services in the hope that if implemented, such recommendations may save lives in the future.  Lady Justice Hallett declined to resume the inquests into the deaths of the four bombers.  

The inquests, which have attracted considerable media coverage, were unprecedented in their scale, length and complexity. Evidence was heard over 5 months from about 500 witnesses, tens of thousands of documents were considered and there were 16 separate legal teams.  Andrew O'Connor and Benjamin Hay were instructed as Counsel to the Inquests and Keith Morton QC, Fiona Canby and Sian Reeves were instructed on behalf of Transport for London.