Delight as new coroner's court opens in Little Germany

While it is located in the heart of the city, it will provide a vital service for families in neighbouring Calderdale and Kirklees, as well as Bradford.

It has moved from inside Bradford Magistrates’ Court to an independent and newly-refurbished building in Cater Street, Little Germany.

In 2016, HM Senior Coroner, Martin Fleming spoke about the “inadequate” existing court, which meant grieving families had to pass through metal detectors, have their bags searched and mix with defendants in criminal cases before the inquest began.

The new building marks a major step forward. There are now three courtrooms, two of which can hold jury inquests, plus state-of-the-art digital audio recording and secure video conferencing technology which will enable virtual hearings when necessary.

Mr Fleming said: “We are delighted that the new coroner’s court has now opened in our new building.

“We know that attending a coroner’s inquest can be a distressing and difficult experience for relatives and friends and we want to provide a welcoming and safe environment for the bereaved which we feel that this new coroner’s court does.”

He added: “It is suitable for families and people in a state of distress and manages to achieve a level of authority just as any court but at the same time is sufficiently flexible to be accessible to people who are attending through unfortunate circumstances.

“This new facility provides a welcoming place with the addition of a number of different courts.

“The new court will unify Council districts of Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees and will continue to serve all three areas under one roof.”

Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe added: “It is fantastic to see the new coroner’s court opened in the newly-refurbished building in Little Germany.

“I have visited the new court and it will provide great facilities for the bereaved families of our district who have had to deal with sub-standard facilities for too long.”