Carl Sargeant’s family lawyer giving the statement outside his offices in Cardiff today
Carl Sargeant’s grieving family had hit out at the Labour leader in Wales for stalling over an independent inquiry into his tragic suicide.
In a statement, his family said: ‘It is deeply concerning that the First Minister should suggest in his address to the media, yesterday, the 9th of November 2017, that all of the answers that the family seek and are entitled to know should be dealt with in a Coroner’s inquest.
‘The First Minister is himself an experienced Barrister and will know that the Coroner’s inquest can examine four questions only.
‘The identity of the deceased, place of death, time of death and how the death was caused.
‘The family believe they have the painful answers to each of those questions.
‘What a Coroner’s inquest cannot determine or appear to be determining is the civil or criminal liability, to apportion guilt or attribute blame, or to be seen to apportion guilt or to attribute blame.
‘The First Minister will also know, as an experienced lawyer, that to announce and commence a full independent review and inquiry does not hinder the Coroner’s inquest and would run alongside the Coroner’s inquest in any event.
‘He will know all of the procedural issues that arise and that one does not prevent the other from taking place.
‘An independent inquiry will ask all the questions that need to be asked and have not been answered and will determine the reasons for the serious failings in following the correct procedures, practices and protocols and the reasons for the complete abdication of responsibility and duty of care that was owed to Carl.
‘We believe that a full independent inquiry must be established immediately. Its terms of reference, the appointment of the chair and secretariat must be undertaken by a body which is fully independent of the Welsh Government and in consultation with the family.’