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Mark Lucraft

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Judge Lucraft
Recorder of London
Assumed office
2020
Preceded byNicholas Hilliard
Chief Coroner of England and Wales
In office
2016–2020
Preceded byPeter Thornton
Succeeded byThomas Teague
Personal details
Born28 December 1961
Alma materUniversity of Kent at Canterbury

Mark Lucraft, KC (born 28 December 1961[1][2]) is a British barrister and judge. Since 2020, he has been Recorder of London, the most senior Circuit judge at the Old Bailey. He was Chief Coroner of England and Wales from 2016 to 2020.

Biography

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Lucraft studied law at the University of Kent, graduating in 1983.[3] He was called to the bar in 1984.[3] He became a recorder in 2003,[3] and a Queen's Counsel (QC) in 2006.[3] and a Senior Circuit Judge at the Central Criminal Court in 2017.[1]

From 2016 to 2020, he was Chief Coroner of England and Wales; only the second person to occupy the role.[4][3] As Chief Coroner, he presided over the inquests into the 2017 Westminster attack[5] and 2017 London Bridge attack.[6] As of April 2021, he is presiding over the inquest into the 2019 London Bridge stabbings, which first opened in December 2019.[7]

In 2020, before relinquishing the role of Chief Coroner, he became Recorder of London, the senior judge at the Old Bailey.[1][8] The roles were allowed to overlap due to the pressures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] By tradition, the Recorder of London is also appointed High Steward of Southwark,[9] and Lucraft accordingly occupies this role.[10] In October 2023, he ruled that the name and date of birth of the police officer who shot Chris Kaba could be made public on 30 January 2024.[11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Recorder of London appointed". UK Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Annual Return — 5 KBW Limited". Companies House. 29 September 2008. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Law School alumnus is new Chief Coroner of England and Wales". Kent Law School News. University of Kent. 23 November 2016. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020.
  4. ^ "Office of the Chief Coroner". UK Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. 8 April 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  5. ^ "Westminster attacker lawfully killed by minister's bodyguard, jury finds". The Guardian. 12 October 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  6. ^ "London Bridge Inquests". Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  7. ^ Dodd, Vikram (12 April 2021). "Security services and police to face questions over London Bridge attacker". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  8. ^ "Top Old Bailey judge heralds brave new world in criminal justice". www.shropshirestar.com. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  9. ^ "City Officers". Livery Committee, City of London. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  10. ^ "Guildable Manor of Southwark - Home Page". Guildable Manor. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Chris Kaba: Officer charged with murder to be named". BBC News. 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
Legal offices
Preceded by Chief Coroner of England and Wales
2016 to 2020
Succeeded by
Preceded by Recorder of London
2020 to present
Incumbent