A coroner has asked the government to turn over the employment history of a Havering man believed to have died after inhaling asbestos.

Ronald James Corr, 81, died at his home address in Balmoral Road, Hornchurch, on September 10.

His death was referred to the East London Coroner’s Court the following day by a doctor, who “indicated that the most likely cause of death incorporated an illness caused by exposure to asbestos.”

Mr Corr had died with a urinary tract infection and metastatic mesothelioma – a cancer which was spreading through his body.

“Given the circumstances, I must open an inquest in relation to this unfortunate death,” said Graeme Irvine, senior coroner for east London, during a brief court hearing in Walthamstow on Friday (September 20).

Mr Irvine issued a series of orders to his coroner’s officer to obtain evidence from statutory bodies.

Among them was an instruction to obtain a schedule of employment from HMRC, which should retain details of any PAYE employers Mr Corr had during his lifetime.

He declared Mr Corr’s family interested persons in the proceedings, giving them the right to interrogate evidence and ask questions during the eventual inquest.

He also asked the family to supply a “background statement” about Mr Corr, detailing “who he was in life – his family, his job and health, any concerns that they have concerning the death and details that they can provide in relation to the diagnosis and any legal action taken in relation to industrial disease.”

Mr Irvine said that if Mr Corr had begun investigating the possible cause of his mesothelioma during his lifetime, those records would be “very useful” to the court.

He also requested copies of Mr Corr’s GP records and a statement from his respiratory hospital consultant.

The inquest was adjourned to midday on March 5, 2025.