A CORONER whose backlog of unfinished inquests sparked a judicial review has been allowed to keep his job.

But critics last night renewed their calls for Michael Sheffield to resign from the post he has held for more than 30 years.

Teesside coroner Mr Sheffield escaped with a severe reprimand from the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, in a long-awaited report into his conduct.

Almost a year ago, Lord Falconer appointed circuit judge John Milford to investigate allegations that 74-year-old Mr Sheffield's cases were taking two years to complete.

Judge Milford's findings were given to the Lord Chancellor in December, but only yesterday was a statement made about the coroner's future.

It said the investigation found Mr Sheffield "had not fully discharged his responsibilities in addressing a growing backlog of inquest cases", but acknowledged he had made some progress since last summer and promised to keep the coroner under close review.

Mr Sheffield was not talking to the media yesterday, but a statement issued through his solicitor, Tony Eastwood, said he would be able to continue to substantially eradicate the backlog should help from Cleveland Police be maintained.

In the past, Mr Sheffield has blamed a lack of coroner's officers for the delays and provided police chiefs with a substantial submission in March that set out a blueprint for the future.

But last night, Assistant Chief Constable Ron Hogg said the blueprint was totally unrealistic and unacceptable, and insisted officers assigned to the coroner should be returned to front-line policing.

Mr Hogg said: "The main reason the backlog of cases is now well under control is simply because of the substantial, additional resources that Cleveland Police has invested.

"Although he has moderated his working practices to some small extent, we would like to see some radical shake-up to achieve an efficient coroners service for Teesside."

Redcar MP Vera Baird said: "He Mr Sheffield has persistently refused to accept any responsibility for this abysmal service and unless he does so immediately, or unreservedly, he should go and leave this jurisdiction to someone who understands the high responsibilities of this office.

"In any other walk of life I have no doubt he would have been dismissed. It is only the antiquated nature of the coroner's jurisdiction, permitting his dismissal only for a criminal offence, which has saved a man who has repeatedly and wrongly blamed the police and his hard-working coroner's officers for poor service.