Pike River judicial review dropped

(AAP)
(AAP)

A court has rejected a legal bid from the families of two Pike River miners challenging the decision to drop charges against its former boss Peter Whittall.

The decision was released by the Wellington High Court this afternoon and comes just two weeks after families marked the fifth anniversary of the mine disaster that killed 29 men.

Anna Osborne, who lost her husband in the tragedy, and Sonya Rockhouse, who lost her son, sought the judicial review against Mr Whittall.

He was originally facing 10 health and safety charges and it has been revealed that the review has been dismissed because the original judge was correct in her decision.

The compensation the families received was separate to the charges being dropped and it wasn't simply "chequebook justice" as a lawyer described.

Ms Rockhouse told 3 News she is still absorbing the decision but says she is devastated by the news. She says it is too early to know whether they will appeal the decision but the families will continue to fight for justice.

3 News