Jury to decide how Scout died in Llandudno after six-week inquest

Ben Leonard, 16, of Stockport, suffered fatal head injuries when he fell about 200ft after slipping from the Great Orme while on an Explorer Scouts trip on August 26, 2018.

After hearing more than six weeks of evidence during the inquest into Ben’s death, held at Manchester Civil Justice Centre, David Pojur, assistant coroner for North Wales East and Central, sent the jury out this morning (February 20).

Ben Leonard (Image: PA)

Yesterday, Mr Pojur gave the 10 jurors legal directions and a “route to conclusion”, saying that four conclusions are available to them.

Jurors were told by Mr Pojur that their duty is not to blame any person or organisation, but to establish the facts.

The inquest had previously heard that none of the leaders on the trip - Sean Glaister, Gareth Williams and Mary Carr – were suitably qualified first aiders, a breach of Scout rules.

Brian Garraway, a group Scout leader who was a qualified first aider, was believed by some to also be going on the trip, but did not.

The trip had also not been adequately risk-assessed, with potential hazards having not been identified.

Manchester Civil Justice Centre (Image: Newsquest)

The Scout Association publicly apologised and accepted responsibility for Ben’s death at the start of the inquest, the third which has been held into his death.

Mr Pojur told jurors they could also conclude the reason for Ben’s death was unlawful killing by one or both of Mr Glaister and Ms Carr, contributed to by neglect by The Scout Association.

Two other conclusions open to jurors are misadventure, or misadventure contributed to by neglect by one or both of the Scout leaders on the trip, or by The Scout Association.