MP Jo Cox suffered multiple stab and gunshot wounds, inquest hears

Labour MP Jo Cox died from multiple stab and gunshot wounds, a coroner has been told.

An inquest into the death of Mrs Cox has been opened and adjourned, after she was attacked outside her constituency surgery in Birstall, just over a week ago.

Detective Superintendent Nick Wallen, of West Yorkshire Police, told a brief hearing at Bradford Coroners Court it was immediately clear to paramedics and police that the 41-year-old mother of two young children was “very seriously injured indeed”.

Mr Wallen said medics worked to save her life but she was pronounced dead by a doctor in an ambulance outside Birstall library on June 16. She did not go to hospital.

The detective confirmed that a post-mortem examination had shown a preliminary cause of death as “multiple stab and gunshot wounds”.

He said lawyers for Thomas Mair, the man charged with murdering the Batley and Spen MP, did not require a second post-mortem examination.

Coroner Martin Fleming said this meant he could release Mrs Cox’s body “so the family can get on with the grieving process”.

Mr Fleming adjourned the six-minute inquest hearing until the conclusion of criminal proceedings.