An inquest into the death of a popular teacher who died after a change to her birth plan has been dramatically suspended today so the possibility of a criminal prosecution can be eliminated.

Popular Frances Cappuccini, 30, taught at Offham Primary School where she was affectionately called "Mrs Coffee".

She suffered a haemorrhage after giving birth to her second son, Giacomo, by emergency caesarean section on October 9, 2012 and died a few hours later.

At an earlier inquest review, lawyers for the family said Mrs Cappuccini - known as Frankie - and her husband Tom, 33, from West Malling, had decided on birth by planned caesarean.

But the couple were persuaded to discard the plan and allow labour to progress naturally overnight.

Before she died, Mrs Cappuccini managed to spend time with her new son and nurse him.

At today's hearing lawyers for the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust told the coroner there was a possibility an unlawful killing verdict would be the outcome.

They quoted a legal rule suggesting the coroner is obliged to refer such cases to the Director of Public Prosecutions for further examination. The coroner has made this referral.

No date has yet been set for the resumed hearing.

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