The inquest into the death of a grandmother who was crushed to death by a falling tree branch in Willesden has been adjourned for the third time because of Crown Prosecution Service delays.
Rambai Senghani, 56, from Kensal Rise, was killed in front her grandchildren when a 20ft branch crashed 30ft to the ground missing the youngsters by just inches as they waited for a bus in Donnington Road on June 10 last year.
The family have waited more than a year for the inquest into her death to be heard but the hearing was adjourned again so police can carry out further investigations.
Sitting at North London Coroner’s Court, Andrew Walker paraphrased a letter from the CPS requesting an adjournment saying that the investigation is incomplete and requires further work.
DS Edward Salter, representing the Metropolitan Police, told the hearing: “We received a letter from the CPS yesterday requesting further evidence, if people were to give evidence today there may be some difficulty should criminal proceedings be brought.”
Mr Walker hit out at the CPS saying: “I simply do not understand why it has taken so long to reach this point.
“The difficulty I have is that if we have this inquest today it will be in the face of an ongoing police investigation.”
He added that chief coroner, Judge Peter Thornton QC, takes an interest in any hearing which requires longer than a year to be completed and that he will have to explain the delay to him.
Brent Housing Partnership, the Health and Safety Executive and City Suburban Tree Surgeons were all represented at the hearing which has been rescheduled to take place on April 5 next year.
Related links: Woman killed by felled tree branch in Willesden is named locally as 57-year-old grandmotherOne person dead after large tree branch falls on bus stop in Willesden
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