A Coroner With Cojones!

The hearing heard about a series of violent incidents, including assaults and a hit-and-run, which North Staffordshire Coroner Ian Smith condemned as "stupid drunken criminality".

Mr Smith ruled Mr Ellahi, who he said was "no stranger" to the criminal courts himself, had been a "willing participant" in the brawl which cost him his life.

Wow!

Not afraid to stand up in the face of 'community pressure':

A charge of manslaughter brought against Munro was dropped following the unrelated death of a key witness.

This left members of the Asian community, including Mr Ellahi's family, angry that justice had not been done.

And not afraid to simply sit there while partisan witnesses get their story in first, either:

The inquest heard a number of differing accounts of the fight.

While memories may be less than perfect after two-and-a-half years, Mr Smith said some witnesses had been "unreliable and unconvincing".

We need more coroners like this!