The delayed inquest into a nurse found dead after taking prank calls at the hospital where the duchess of Cambridge was being treated during her first pregnancy opened in London on Thursday.
The body of Jacintha Saldanha, 46, was found hanging on December 7, 2012, three days after she transferred calls from two Australian DJs pretending to be members of the royal family to a colleague who revealed details of the duchess’ condition.
One of the DJs, Mel Greig, attended the inquest at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, despite not being called to give evidence.
“I made a commitment to the Saldanha family that I would answer any questions they have, on or off the stand, I’m here to uphold that promise,” she tweeted.
Greig and her then colleague Michael Christian endured an angry backlash on social media after Saldanha’s death. In interviews immediately afterwards they spoke of being “heartbroken” and explained they had only intended the call as a light-hearted prank.
As the hearing got underway, the coroner Fiona Wilcox reminded the court that “no one is on trial”.
Greig’s lawyer Gerwyn Samuel told the hearing that his client should be allowed to give evidence.
“She spoke to her (Saldanha) during the prank call and she can give evidence as to what she thought her demeanour was like when she was speaking to her during that call,” he said.
The court also heard that the radio station 2Day FM had made a further four calls, none lasting more than 45 seconds, shortly after the original hoax call.
Fiona Barton, the lawyer representing King Edward VII Hospital, said their content was not known or if they had even been answered.
“If she (Saldanha) answered any of these calls – and there were four of them – then it can only have added to the stress she was under when she realized this was a prank call by a radio station,” said Barton.
Samuel said Greig had spoken to the people who made them and so could also give evidence on that.
Saldanha’s widower, Benedict Barboza, and her two teenage children Lisha and Junal also attended the inquest, which is expected to end on Friday.
It comes days after the royal family announced that the duchess is expecting her second child.
GNA
