The Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013

Further provisions relating to preservation or retention of material from post-mortem examinations

15.—(1) A coroner who—

(a) receives a request from a prosecuting authority, Provost Marshal or the Director of Service Prosecutions under paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to suspend an investigation because a person may be charged with an offence in relation to the death of the deceased; or

(b) becomes aware or is informed under paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 that a person has been charged with an offence in relation to, or connected with, the death of the deceased,

must notify the chief officer of police or prosecuting authority, of any period for which the coroner requires material to be preserved or retained under regulation 14(4).

(2) Where the coroner is informed that a public inquiry is to be held instead of an inquest, the coroner must notify the chairman of that inquiry of any period for which the coroner requires material to be preserved or retained under regulation 14(4).

(3) A coroner may from time to time vary a period notified under regulation 14(4) and must notify both the suitable practitioner and any person notified under regulation 14(5), 15(1) and 15(2) of the variation.

(4) Where a suitable practitioner has received a notification from a coroner under regulation 14(4) and the suitable practitioner believes that the material should be preserved or retained for a different period, the suitable practitioner may request that the coroner vary the time by providing a notification in accordance with regulation 14(2).

(5) Where a suitable practitioner has retained material in accordance with regulation 14 and the period notified under regulation 14(4) has expired, that suitable practitioner must record the fact that—

(a) the material has been disposed by the suitable practitioner or on behalf of the suitable practitioner;

(b) the material has been delivered into the possession of a specified person; or

(c) the material has been dealt with in accordance with regulation 14(6).

(6) Any record made by a suitable practitioner under paragraph (5) must be retained by him or her.