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Power to hold inquest without a jury in certain cases.
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3.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this section a coroner within whose district the dead body of a person is lying may, in lieu of summoning a jury in the manner required by section 23 of the Coroners (Ireland) Act, 1846, for the purpose of inquiring into the death of that person, hold an inquest on the body without a jury.
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(2) If it appears to the coroner either before he proceeds to hold an inquest or in the course of an inquest begun without a jury, that there is reason to suspect—
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(a) that the deceased came by his death by murder, manslaughter or infanticide; or
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(b) that the death occurred in prison or in such place or in such circumstances as to require an inquest under any Act other than the Coroners (Ireland) Act, 1846; or
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(c) that the death was caused by an accident, poisoning or disease notice of which is required to be given to a government department or to any inspector or other officer of a government department, under or in pursuance of any Act; or
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(d) that the death was caused by an accident arising out of the use of a vehicle in a street or public highway; or
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(e) that the death occurred in circumstances the continuance or possible recurrence of which is prejudicial to the health or safety of the public or any section of the public;
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he shall proceed to summon a jury in the manner required by the Coroners (Ireland) Act, 1846, and in any other case if it appears to him, either before he proceeds to hold an inquest or in the course of an inquest begun without a jury, that there is any reason for summoning a jury, he may proceed to summon a jury in the manner aforesaid.
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(3) The provisions of any enactment relating to the procedure in connection with an inquest shall, as respects an inquest or any part of an inquest which is held without a jury, have effect subject to such modifications in the procedure as are rendered necessary by the absence of a jury, and where the whole of an inquest is held without a jury the inquisition shall be under the hand of the coroner alone.
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(4) Where an inquest or any part of an inquest is held without a jury, anything done at the inquest, or at that part of the inquest, by or before the coroner alone shall be as validly done as if it had been done by or before the coroner and a jury.
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(5) Where an inquest or any part of an inquest is held without a jury and it shall appear to the coroner that the cause of death has not been satisfactorily explained by the evidence of any medical practitioner summoned by him as a witness pursuant to section 33 of the Coroners (Ireland) Act, 1846, it shall be lawful for the coroner to issue his summons for the attendance of some other legally qualified medical practitioner or practitioners.
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