NEW CASE: Ferreira, R (On the Application Of) v HM Senior Coroner for Inner South London [2017] EWCA Civ 31

Appeal against judicial review decision that the coroner did not have to hold an inquest with a jury where the appellants claimed that the deceased subject of the case had been in 'state detention' as she had been deprived of her liberty and therefore a jury was required.

Arden LJ dismissed the appeal as the deceased

"was not deprived of her liberty at the date of her death because she was being treated for a physical illness and her treatment was that which it appeared to all intents would have been administered to a person who did not have her mental impairment. She was physically restricted in her movements by her physical infirmities and by the treatment she received (which for example included sedation) but the root cause of any loss of liberty was her physical condition, not any restrictions imposed by the hospital. The relevant Strasbourg case law applying in this case is limited to that explaining the exception in Article 5(1)(e), on which the Supreme Court relied in Cheshire West, and accordingly this Court is not bound by that decision to apply the meaning of deprivation of liberty for which that decision is authority."

It has been reported that the solicitors for the appellant are seeking leave to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Read the judgment on Bailii.