NI: Coroner holds first-ever preliminary hearing by phone
![NI: Coroner holds first-ever preliminary hearing by phone](https://irishlegal.com/uploads/landline-phone-pixa.jpg)
A coroner has held a preliminary hearing by conference call in a Northern Ireland first.
According to the Belfast Telegraph, the hearing marks the first time that legal proceedings in Northern Ireland have been conducted by phone rather than video-conferencing.
Coroner Patrick McGurgan held the preliminary hearing ahead of an inquest into the death of Co Tyrone GAA coach John Dalglish Hetherington, who died at the age of 45 in January 2019.
A further preliminary hearing will take place on 20 June 2020.