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A coroner has apologized after a “terrible” mistake caused a local news headline to inaccurately report on an inquest.
Assistant coroner Georgina Gibbs told an inquest heard by Kent Online that she incorrectly said 27-year-old Brandon Licolish had been taking strong opioids before he died in a car crash. I apologized.
Kent Online officially reported the coroner’s claims, which prompted complaints from Mr Likolish’s family.
As a result, editor Joe Walker sought clarification from Coroner Kent Medway on the issue, which revealed that Mr Gibbs had made an error in his arguments in court.
Instead, it was confirmed that Licolish had in fact been given the powerful opiate drug fentanyl at the hospital after the accident. He died three days later from a traumatic brain injury.
Joe, pictured, told HTFP: “Accurate reporting is paramount when answering questions about the facts of a case, so it is imperative that we have absolute confidence in the evidence presented in court.
“However, at this time, the complainants were confident that Mr Licolish was not taking drugs, so we felt compelled to urgently seek an explanation from the coroner’s office.
“It is astonishing that such a terrible and completely avoidable mistake could be made when the most basic of checks should have established the sequence of events. The only saving grace is that the coroner’s office was quick to admit its error and Kent Online was able to set the record straight.”
In a statement released to Kent Online, investigators from Kent Medway Coroner’s Office said:
“Assistant Coroner Georgina Gibbs has considered this matter and understands that Mr Licolish was given fentanyl at the hospital. She is deeply saddened by this mistake and the distress it has caused his family and friends. I apologize.”
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