A coronial inquest into the death of Indigenous inmate Steven Freeman has been delayed and will not be heard until next year.
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Mr Freeman died at the Alexander Maconochie Centre in May, a year after he was savagely bashed inside his cell, however his cause of death remains unclear.
The near-fatal bashing took place within hours of Mr Freeman's arrival at the jail, where he had been placed on remand with sentenced prisoners.
A week-long inquest probing the circumstances surrounding his death in custody was expected to begin in the ACT Coroner's Court on December 5.
However, Coroner Robert Cook was told that date was longer feasible when the matter returned to court for its third directions hearing on Wednesday.
It comes comes less than a week after a separate inquiry found Mr Freeman's death had highlighted wide-ranging failures of the ACT's justice system.
The damning report, prepared independently by former integrity commissioner Philip Moss, found the broader treatment of Mr Freeman was deficient, and marred by a string of failings involving corrections, police, and health authorities.
Lawyer Bernard Collaery, who is representing Mr Freeman's mother Narelle King, on Wednesday said his involvement in back-to-back court hearings in November meant he would not be ready for the matter to proceed next month and needed more time.
Coroner Robert Cook said he had pressed for the initial hearing date to be set because he saw no need for the matter to be unnecessarily delayed.
He told the court the setback meant the matter would no longer be heard this year, which he described as "unfortunate", but acknowledged "these things need to be done from time to time".
Mr Cook noted Mr Collaery had explained the situation to Mr Freeman's family members, who were in court for the mention, and that there was no objection to the delay from lawyer Ken Archer, who is representing the ACT government.
He appreciated the territory government had a large amount of work to do preparing material and coordinating witnesses for the hearing.
The Coroner's Court had previously been told the inquest would not scrutinise the bashing and would instead focus on the period between Mr Freeman's access to the prison's methadone program in April 2016 and his death a month later.
The case will return to court for another directions hearing on December 12.
A fresh date for the inquest has yet to be set. It is expected to take place early next year.
