New Assistant Coroners appointed for Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin

Heath Westerman and Joanne Lees have been appointed as the new assistant coroners for the Shropshire Council and Telford and Wrekin Council areas.

Succeeding former assistant coroner, Andrew Barkley, following his appointment as Senior Coroner for South Wales Central, both carry a wealth of knowledge into the role as well as professional and personal experience.

Heath Westerman, assistant coroner for the Shropshire Council and Telford and Wrekin Council area, said:

“This will be an opportunity for me to assist the people of Shropshire dealing with bereavement and to find the answers behind unexplained deaths.

“I’m absolutely delighted to be appointed as an Assistant Coroner for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and especially honoured to be asked to be the Senior Coroner’s Deputy.”

Joanne Lees, assistant coroner for the Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin area, said:

“The job of the Coroner is a challenging one but I’m delighted and honoured to be appointed as an assistant coroner and am looking forward to working with the senior coroner, John Ellery, and my colleague Heath Westerman.

“As I live in rural Shropshire myself, I am looking forward to being able to serve the Shropshire community and help bereaved families through the process and help people find the answers as to what happened to their loved ones.”

Coroners are independent judicial officers with a duty to investigate any unexpected or suspicious death.

Both have taken the Coronial oath to “do right to all manner of people after the laws and usages of this realm, without fear or favour affection or ill will.”

Karen Burton, Shropshire Council’s registration services, said:

“John Ellery, the Senior Coroner and I, are delighted to welcome Heath and Joanne to the role of Assistant Coroners and look forward to working with them in the future.

“We are very fortunate to have two very experienced legal practitioners in Heath and Jo who are both local people, who have both experienced the Coronial service from the perspective of the bereaved and who are looking forward to serving the residents of Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire.”

The coroners’ service is jointly funded between Shropshire Council and Telford and Wrekin Council and covers Shropshire.