A LONDON coroner’s “cab rank rule” for burials ignores the “deeply held beliefs” of Jewish and Muslim communities who require their dead be buried as soon as possible, the High Court heard yesterday.

Mary Hassell, the senior coroner for inner north London, established the policy that “no death will be prioritised in any way over any other because of the religion of the deceased or the family,” meaning all deaths in her jurisdiction are dealt with in the order they are registered.

The policy covers the boroughs of Camden, Islington, Hackney and Tower Hamlets, which have between them “sizeable Muslim and Jewish populations.”

Adath Yisroel Burial Society (AYBS) is challenging the policy, arguing that it breaches both the Human Rights Act and the Equality Act.

Sam Grodzinski QC said the AYBS was not saying that “Jewish, Muslim or other religious people must always come first.”

But he emphasised that the law “requires religious beliefs to be conscientiously taken into account,” adding that Ms Hassell’s policy “precludes the proper application of the law.”

Mr Grodzinski told the court there was evidence from Jewish and Muslim community leaders that the policy has caused “widespread distress.”

He also noted that the chief coroner of England and Wales Mark Lucraft QC “regards [Ms Hassell’s] policy to be unlawful.”

He said Ms Hassell had previously said “she would reconsider her policy immediately” if Mr Lucraft considered the policy unlawful.

But, he added, she “has still not chosen to withdraw that policy.”

The hearing continues.