Winehouse inquest may be voided

The inquest into singer Amy Winehouse’s death may be declared void after the coroner who oversaw it resigned because her qualifications had been questioned.

Winehouse’s relatives said they were absorbing the implications of the news.

In October, Suzanne Greenaway ruled Winehouse died from accidental alcohol poisoning when she resumed drinking after weeks of abstinence.

Greenaway had been appointed an assistant deputy coroner in London by her husband, coroner Andrew Reid. She resigned after authorities learned she had not been a registered British lawyer for five years, as required.

She had practiced law for a decade in her native Australia.

Under the rules she could only have worked as a coroner if she had been in the Law Society as a solicitor for at least five years, but Ms Greenaway had only joined two-and-a-half years before getting the job.

Ms Greenaway was also required to have had five years as a “qualified medical practitioner”, but it is understood she had only qualified as a nurse in Australia.

Mr Reid said last night he was “confident that all of the inquests handled were done so correctly” — but offered to hold inquests again if the families of the deceased wanted it.

Ms Greenaway had been in the job since 2009 and covered 30 inquests — all of which could be declared illegal.

The Winehouse family said it was “taking advice on the implications of this and will decide if any further discussion with the authorities is needed”.

The inquests will only be declared illegal if challenged by the High Court.

Winehouse died at her flat in Camden, north London, on July 23 last year. She was 27.