Susan Jones

Practice Areas

Susan Jones is a specialist inquest practitioner with experience appearing in inquests for HM Coastguard, police forces, NHS Trusts, care providers, education providers, individual police staff, nurses, cruise ships, local authorities and families.

Susan appears in Article 2 and jury inquests and in inquests in which the determination of the cause of death are complex and involve numerous experts.

Susan regularly appears in inquests examining death arising after multi-agency engagement and is particularly interested in search and rescue efforts.

In 2023 Susan appeared as sole counsel for the Firearms Licensing Supervisor, in the inquests into the Plymouth Shootings which took place over 6 weeks and heard from over 60 witnesses. 11 interested persons were involved, 3 of whom were represented by silks and juniors. The inquests considered firearms licensing systems, the initial shotgun licence application and a subsequent licence review, the applicable legal framework for shotgun licences at the time including Home Office Guidance and the British Medical Associations response to that Guidance.

In 2022 Susan appeared as sole counsel representing HM Coastguard in the 12-week inquest into the death of Gaia Pope. This inquest involved 15 interested persons and over 70 witnesses. The inquest explored mental health and epilepsy management, recent pre-death contact with the police, ambulance service and social services and an 11-day multi-agency search following Gaia going missing. The inquest heard expert evidence in pathology, entomology, neurology, psychiatry, and missing person search strategies and included a jury scene view to where Gaia was found.

Career

Called 2011