Peter Ramsden
8 Jul 2025 · Coroner Paul Marks · City of Kingston Upon Hull and the County of the East Riding of Yorkshire
The coroner's concerns
1. lack of legal authority for emergency entry
“there is a lacuna in the law, specifically relating to section 17 of the Police & Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) which grants police officers the power to enter and search premises without a warrant in specific situations. These include, inter alia, entry for arrest and emergency situations which allows entry to save life or limb or prevent serious damage to a property”
2. lack of entry powers for emergency responders
“the ambulance service and the fire service should have powers of entry in the event that a person who is ill, unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, with a remediable disorder, can receive prompt and potentially life-saving treatment”