The Shoreham Airshow disaster pilot has confirmed he will no longer be seeking permission from the High Court to challenge by way of judicial review the “unlawful killing” conclusion reached in the inquest in December 2022.
On 23 May 2023, the High Court refused permission and the pilot then had a further seven days to ask the court to reconsider that decision at an oral hearing. He has now informed the parties that he would not be seeking to do so.
Sarah Stewart, partner, comments:
“Almost eight years after the disaster, the Families we represent welcome Mr Hill’s decision to withdraw his challenge to the inquest verdict. In December 2022, Senior Coroner Penelope Schofield found that the deaths of the eleven innocent men killed in the 2015 Shoreham Airshow disaster were avoidable. The Families can now continue their healing process in peace outside the courtroom. The Families look forward to putting this chapter firmly behind them, safe in the knowledge that their voices have finally been heard.
The legal significance of this case cannot be overstated. Mr Hill was tried and acquitted of gross negligence manslaughter in the Old Bailey in March 2019. Until relatively recently, that criminal acquittal would have prevented the Senior Coroner from reaching an unlawful killing conclusion at the subsequent inquest. However, following a change in the law, the Senior Coroner was entitled to find that the pilot’s conduct was sufficiently serious to amount to gross negligence and that the victims of the Shoreham Airshow were unlawfully killed.”
Anthony Mallinson, son of Graham Mallinson, says:
“The Family of Graham Mallinson are very thankful that the Senior Coroner’s ruling will now remain in place securing the best possible justice finally.
They feel that their voices have now been heard and this will enable them to now grieve quietly and peacefully.”
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