A CORONER has postponed the inquest of a man to find out more about a “four-hour ambulance delay” and determine whether that played any part in his death.

Christopher David Robinson, who was 39, died in Appleby on December 29 2022.

An inquest into his death was opened and adjourned on May 2 this year and was due to have concluded with a second hearing at Cockermouth Coroners’ Court.

But two cousins from Penrith and Shap who attended court for that second hearing asked for proceedings to be paused after being told coroner Ms Margaret Taylor had not been made aware of an 'ongoing' North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) investigation launched after Mr Robinson’s death.

“I would have expected our office to be advised if there was an investigation,” Ms Taylor told the two cousins, instructing them that the hearing could be postponed pending further inquiries.

“What I would do is I would find out what’s happened with the investigation and ask why we haven’t been advised about it.”

The coroner stated: “I have no knowledge that they were conducting an investigation.”

The overall purpose of an inquest was to find out “who” the deceased was, along with “when, where and how” they died. It was not, stressed Ms Taylor, about finding anyone at fault.

Ms Taylor said Mr Robinson had rung for an ambulance 'saying that he was not well'.

“What we will never know is that if they had arrived earlier, whether or not that would have changed the outcome," she said.

"And inevitably the conclusion will be that this is drugs-related death. But I certainly would have wanted some explanation as to why it was almost four hours before the ambulance arrived.

“What I would do is I would find out what’s happened with the investigation and ask why we haven’t been advised about it. Depending on what was in the investigation, I might want to call the author of the report to explain the delay.”

The hearing was adjourned to a future date to seek more information.

An NWAS spokesman confirmed a 'serious incident investigation' had been launched, saying: “That report has only been recently concluded and so will be delivered in due course. We will, of course, liaise and fully comply with any further requests. It is not appropriate to comment further at this time.”

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