Gaia Pope inquest postponed due to coronavirus

An inquest into the death of a teenager whose disappearance sparked a major police inquiry has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Gaia Pope was reported missing from her home near Swanage on November 7 2017 and her disappearance prompted a massive campaign from family and friends to find her.

The body of the 19-year-old, who suffered from severe epilepsy, was found by police search teams in undergrowth between Dancing Ledge and Anvil Point, close to the Swanage coastal path, 11 days later.

A post-mortem examination confirmed she had died from hypothermia.

During the police investigation, three people - two men aged 19 and 49 and a 71-year-old woman - were arrested. They were released without any further action being taken.

During a pre-inquest review at the Town Hall in Bournemouth, Rachael Griffin, the senior coroner for Dorset, said the inquest which was due to begin on May 10 could no longer go ahead because of the uncertainty caused by the pandemic and because the hearing needed to be conducted in a safe and appropriate manner''.

I have considered all the circumstances with care. I have taken into account all the written submissions made in advance of this hearing,'' Ms Griffin said.

I have taken into account the views of (Gaia's father) Mr Sutherland, although not present today, and the email where he asks me to postpone a decision until a later date.

I have taken into account this is not an inquest that can proceed with remote participation and will require the physical attendance of most, if not all witnesses.

There are unknowns about certainty in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic and it is an unknown where we will all be in the coming months in terms of restrictions placed upon us in terms of travel and socialising.''

Ms Griffin also said it was possible that anyone involved in the inquest could be asked to self-isolate at short notice - making it difficult to continue without them.

Therefore it is with sadness and great regret that I do make the decision today that while there is a possibility we may be able to proceed on May 10, the likelihood is the risk would not have receded enough to be able to guarantee the safety of all those attending in person,'' she said.

The hearing on May 10 will have to be adjourned because of the situation we find ourselves living in today in the current pandemic.''

A further hearing will take place on March 4 at which point it is hoped a new date can be fixed for the inquest, which is due to last more than two months.

The court heard that a jury would be required for the inquest and that it would be conducted under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights in order to consider how and in what circumstances'' Miss Pope died.

The jury will hear evidence of what Dorset Police did from November 7, the day Miss Pope disappeared, until November 11, at which point she was likely to have already died.

They will also consider evidence of Miss Pope's epilepsy, her mental health, particularly the impact upon her of an alleged rape she suffered aged 16.

Dorset Police took no further action in relation to that allegation and her family say she developed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder following that decision.