Murdered teacher's inquest to have jury

A jury will be called to sit at the inquest into the death of murdered Wigan-born teacher Ann Maguire.
Ann MaguireAnn Maguire
Ann Maguire

Assistant West Yorkshire Coroner Kevin McLoughlin made the decision that the proceedings should be held in front of a jury during a pre-inquest review at Wakefield Coroner’s Court.

The hearing, scheduled for five days, is due to start at that court on March 13.

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Assistant coroner Mr McLoughlin told the packed courtroom: “This is such an unusual case that there is sufficient reason for me to sit with a jury.”

Mrs Maguire, a 61-year-old Spanish teacher who was born and raised in Scholes, was stabbed to death by 15-year-old student Will Cornick at Corpus Christi Catholic College in Leeds in April 2014. In November that year a Leeds Crown Court judge jailed Cornick for life with a minimum 20-year term after he admitted murder.

Mrs Maguire’s husband Don and daughters Emma and Kerry were among family members who were at the second pre-inquest review hearing in Wakefield.

Lawyers representing members of Mrs Maguire’s family, West Yorkshire Police, Leeds City Council and her teenage killer Will Cornick, spoke at the hearing. Discussions took place about witnesses due to attend and its scope.

Mr McLoughlin told the first pre-inquest review hearing last November: “This inquest is primarily about learning lessons because we know this vicious incident and too clearly what happened.”