Coroner Warned for Unprofessional Behavior

A Shropshire assistant coroner, Heath Westerman, has been issued a formal misconduct warning after he was overheard describing a lawyer's argument as "b**s" during an inquest. The remarks were deemed "inappropriate and prejudicial" following an investigation by the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO), which was prompted by a complaint from a party involved in the inquest concerning the loss of her son. The complaint alleged that Westerman made disparaging comments about the barrister's submission and criticized the duration of the inquest listing as "ridiculous." Although Westerman claimed that the conversation took place in a private area and believed the complainant had left, he acknowledged that his language was inappropriate and expressed regret for his choice of words. He denied making the other two comments attributed to him, citing the considerable pressure he was under at the time. A judge assigned to investigate the matter confirmed that Westerman did indeed use the term "b**s" regarding the barrister's submission and implied that the inquest's duration was excessive. While the judge found that Westerman did not say, "Who do these people think they are?" the comments were still considered damaging to the integrity of the judicial process. The JCIO emphasized the importance of maintaining public confidence in the judiciary, reminding judicial officeholders to conduct themselves with courtesy and respect. Following the investigation, the Lord Chancellor and the Lady Chief Justice concurred that a formal warning was an appropriate response to the coroner's misconduct.