Inquest into the deaths of Reading murder victims, James Furlong, Dr David Wails and Joseph Ritchie-Bennett

Saadallah was convicted of the murders of the three men in January 2021 and lost an appeal against a whole-life sentence in October 2021.

James was head of history and government and politics at the Holt School in Wokingham and had a long-term partner. David was a scientist who lived in Reading. Joseph was a US citizen who had lived in the UK for 15 years and worked for a pharmaceutical company in Reading. Joseph sadly lost his husband in 2014 to cancer. All three men were close to their families and devoted sons, brothers and uncles.

The families are all represented at the inquest by law firm Leigh Day: partner Benjamin Burrows, solicitor Lily Hedgman and partner Fiona Huddleston.

The scope of the inquest will include management of Saadallah while he was in prison and while he was on probation, the management of his mental health issues and the assessment and response to Saadallah’s risk of terrorism.

A decision on whether Article 2 is engaged has been deferred until the conclusion of the evidence at the final inquest hearing.

Interested Persons who will give evidence are the Home Secretary, the Justice Secretary, the Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police, who also represents Counter Terrorism Police South East, the Crown Prosecution Service, Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, Practice Plus Group, Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Reading Borough Council, South Central Ambulance Service, Change Grow Live, MTC Novo, the British Red Cross, and Reading Refugee Support Group.

The inquest is scheduled to last for six weeks and is due to conclude on 23 February, 2024. It is being led by Judge Coroner Sir Adrian Fulford.

On behalf of the families, Gary Furlong Senior gave a statement outside the Old Bailey before the inquest began.

Gary Furlong said:

“The families of James Furlong, Dr David Wails, and Joseph Ritchie-Bennett, have waited patiently for three and a half years for this day to arrive. We waited while the criminal investigation into our sons’ deaths took place, while Khairi Saadallah was convicted and sentenced for their murders, and then waited while he appealed against his whole-life sentence. We were glad to see justice served when he lost that appeal.

“Today, at last, the inquest process begins. We are looking forward to finding the answers to the questions we have held on to for so long.

“We will be listening carefully as the many public bodies that have been called to give evidence at the inquest into our sons’ deaths must give a full account of their dealings with Saadallah.

“We look forward to hearing about the management of Saadallah while he was in prison and while he was on probation, the management of his mental health issues and the assessment and response to Saadallah’s risk of terrorism.

“We trust Judge Coroner Sir Adrian Fulford to conduct a thorough and fearless inquest over the next six weeks. When the process concludes in February we want to be reassured that no stone has been left unturned in the quest for answers about how the murders of our loved ones could have taken place.

“Nothing can bring back James, David and Joseph, but we owe it to them to find honest answers about whether their deaths could have been avoided and what could have been done to save us from their loss.”

Pen portraits of James, David, and Joseph were presented to the inquest today.