HERE at The Argus we made a decision two years ago to start attending inquests regularly again.

Like the criminal courts, anybody may attend. But unlike the criminal courts, inquests at the coroners’ courts are not held to apportion blame. They are held to find out what happened and how somebody has died. And this is crucial. Finding out what caused somebody’s death can have huge benefits for all of us. We can learn from mistakes at hospitals, or by other authorities.

And we can all learn about mistakes or accidents that we can have as individuals. We are lucky in Brighton and Hove to have a coroner who looks at every death thoroughly to see if more should have, or could have, been done. Therefore we will continue to report on inquests to highlight the great work she is carrying out.

Today our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Caroline Mason. Her loving and fantastic family opened their heart to reporter Katharine Hay after the inquest. They have had to endure a terrible time after losing Caroline.

They were realistic about what happened to the 42-year-old. They provided the beautiful picture of her that you see on page one today so that we can all get a sense of how they will remember her. She had a bubbly personality and lived life to the full – “like a female Peter Pan”.

Peter Pan is the boy who didn’t want to grow up. Tragically, Caroline died far too young at 42. By reporting on her inquest we hope to have raised awareness of the dangers of mixing drinking with using prescription drugs, so that others might not have to go through what Caroline’s family have.