Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000

A coroner may, on the coroner’s own initiative, issue a search warrant for a place if the coroner reasonably suspects that there is evidence at the place that may be relevant to the coroner’s investigation.

The search warrant must state—

that a police officer may exercise the powers mentioned in subsection (4) at the place; and

brief particulars that identify the death that the coroner is investigating; and

the evidence that may be seized under the warrant; and

if the warrant is to be executed at night, the hours when the place may be entered; and

the day and time the search warrant ends, being no more than 7 days after the search warrant is issued.

The ways that a coroner may send the search warrant to a police officer include by fax or electronic communication.

Under the search warrant, a police officer has—

the powers described in section 157(1)(a) to (e) and (g); and

power to seize a thing found at the place, or on a person found at the place, that the police officer reasonably suspects may be relevant to the coroner’s investigation; andExample of paragraph (b)—a suicide note

power to inspect, measure, photograph or film the place or anything at the place; and

power to take a thing, or a sample of a thing, from the place for testing; and

power to copy a document at the place; and

power to require a person at the place to give the police officer reasonable help to exercise the powers mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (e).

A police officer must comply with section 158 when executing the search warrant.

A police officer must not exercise a power under subsection (4)(c) to (f) unless the police officer reasonably suspects that the exercise of the power is necessary for the coroner’s investigation.