Inquest Postponed

The Pre-Inquest Review hearing scheduled for 5th September as part of the inquest into the death of Gaia Pope-Sutherland has been postponed by the Dorset Coroner, following an announcement by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) that their investigation will not now be concluded prior to February 2019. The Pre-Inquest Review is now expected to proceed in March 2019.

The family of Gaia Pope-Sutherland said:

“We are disappointed to have lost this opportunity to appear in the coroner’s court, for the first time with legal representation. Almost an entire year has passed since Gaia’s death and we have still not been given this opportunity. Nor has any significant information been disclosed to us about what happened to Gaia and why.

Without answers, we live in limbo. It is simply impossible to move forwards while we remain in the dark like this.

However, we appreciate the work the IOPC are doing to investigate the actions of Dorset police, not only when Gaia went missing in November 2017 but also when she disclosed to them the rape which had such a horrific impact on her mental health. We dearly hope that the extension of these investigations means that the investigation is being given the attention and resources it needs to bring justice for Gaia.”