Shipman inquiry faces challenge

Families of women murdered by the serial killer Harold Shipman have won the right to challenge the decision to hold the independent inquiry into the case in private.

Lord Laming, heading the inquiry, and the Department of Health, have agreed to a judicial review of the ruling by Home Secretary Jack Straw.

The High Court will decide in June whether the hearing, which began last month, should take place in public.

The relatives, who say a public inquiry into the doctor's killing spree would allow greater transparency, are also to challenge the decision not to allow them legal representation at the hearings.

Review ruling delayed

Shipman was convicted in January of killing 15 elderly women patients with morphine.

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But police suspect he could have been involved in up to 192 deaths over a period of many years.

Lawyers representing more than 100 relatives of victims and suspected victims had been due to go to the High Court on 22 May to apply for the review by a judge.

They were hoping the review could take place straight away if leave was granted.

But a spokeswoman for Manchester law firm Alexander Harris said they were told on Thursday the hearing could not go ahead until 19 June.

Eight media groups representing national newspapers have also lodged their own application for a judicial review of the decision to hold the proceedings in private.

No further trial

South Manchester Coroner John Pollard has been granted permission by Mr Straw to hold inquests on 23 more of Shipman's patients.

Police considered there was enough evidence to charge the GP, from Hyde, Manchester, with their murders but the director of public prosecutions decided Shipman would not be able to have a fair trial.

Lord Laming and his inquiry team have already started studying written evidence at their Manchester headquarters.

A spokesman said that they would not hear any oral evidence until the outcome of the judicial review.

The independent inquiry was set up by Health Secretary Alan Milburn.

It aims to investigate the conduct of all the authorities involved in monitoring and regulating Shipman's one-man practice and look at the roles of the coroner and the police in the investigation, as well as the handling of controlled drugs and the certifying of deaths.