Jodie AndersonSector leader

Biography

Jodie Anderson is a Senior Caseworker at INQUEST, the only charity in England and Wales providing independent expertise on state-related deaths and their investigation to bereaved people, policymakers and the media. She joined INQUEST in 2020, having previously practised as a criminal defence and immigration barrister. She worked on death row in Texas in 2014 and has maintained a particular focus on youth justice and accountability within the criminal justice system. Anderson joined INQUEST following the death of her cousin at Birmingham prison and is committed to supporting bereaved families in their pursuit of justice. She has been quoted in press coverage of deaths in prison custody, deaths in mental health settings, and the deaths of homeless women, and has publicly argued for greater NHS and state candour at inquests, expanded legal aid for bereaved families, and systemic reform to prevent future deaths.

References

1. 1.Our People – INQUEST — Confirms Jodie Anderson's role as caseworker at INQUEST from 2020, her background as a criminal defence and immigration barrister, her work in Texas on death row, and her personal connection to a family bereavement in prison.
2. 2.Big Issue – Tina Robson: mother's fight for justice — Confirms Anderson's title as Senior Caseworker at INQUEST and her public commentary on deaths of homeless women and the need to expand legal aid at inquests.
3. 3.Trevor Monerville: Coroner criticises 'unacceptable' care of Black epileptic man who died in prison — Confirms Anderson quoted as Senior Caseworker at INQUEST on prison healthcare failings and racial disparities in epilepsy deaths in custody.
4. 4.Chris Pearson – CPS Charges Leeds Prison Custody Manager – INQUEST — Confirms Anderson's role as Senior Caseworker and her advocacy on deaths in prison following restraint.
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Expertise

Cited on

• Hospital discharge / bed-blocking

Stated areas of expertise

• Deaths in custody
• Deaths in mental health settings
• Youth justice and accountability
• Inquest process and legal aid
• State accountability and transparency
• Deaths of homeless and vulnerable women

Notable achievements

• Supported the family of Trevor Monerville, a Black epileptic man who died in prison within five months of entry, and spoke publicly about racial disparities in epilepsy deaths in custody — seven of eleven such cases since 2005 involving Black or mixed-race individuals. Source ↗
• Supported the family of 14-year-old Ruth Szymankiewicz and commented publicly after the inquest jury found she was unlawfully killed, highlighting a national crisis in children's mental health services. Source ↗
• Supported the family in the Chris Pearson case at Leeds Prison after CPS brought charges of misconduct in public office and neglect against custody manager and healthcare staff over his death following restraint. Source ↗
• Supported the family of Ellame Ford-Dunn, a 16-year-old mental health inpatient who died in Sussex, and called publicly for NHS England to increase mental health funding following inquest findings of multiple failures. Source ↗

What they’ve said

• “We need urgent action to ensure further failures and harms by mental health services are prevented, and to ensure every child and young person in distress receives the care and support they need.”

  Senior caseworker at the charity Inquest · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · System failed our daughter, say parents, as NHS trust fined £200,000 over death ↗

• “Ellame's inquest has exposed a mental health system in Sussex that is crumbling at the seams. A lack of specialist beds and a dismissive response to Ellame's distress left her to languish in an unsuitable paediatric ward.”

  senior caseworker at the charity Inquest · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · Lack of mental health beds contributed to UK teenager’s death, inquest finds ↗

Source references

1. System failed our daughter, say parents, as NHS trust fined £200,000 over deaththeguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
2. Lack of mental health beds contributed to UK teenager’s death, inquest findstheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026

Contact & links

• Staff pagehttps://inquest.org.uk/about-us/our-people/
• Xhttps://x.com/JodieAnderson_published here ↗

Organisational contact points only, each taken from a page the organisation publishes itself. No personal or direct contact details are held or shown.