A convicted paedophile whose abuse 'cast shade' over his victims' childhoods died two years after being sentenced, a coroner heard. Gerald Coppel was handed a 14-year prison term after plying three girls with alcohol before exposing himself and abusing them.
An inquest into his death has now been opened at Bolton Coroners' Court. Coppel died on February 4 at Salford Royal Hospital, aged 73.
At a pre-inquest review held on Tuesday (May 10), the court heard Coppel had been in custody at Salford's Forest Bank Prison since 2019. Coroner Peter Sigee said that from the evidence submitted to the inquest so far, he understood that Coppel 'came into prison with significant health concerns', which endured throughout the rest of his life.
