Scouts respond after boy who fell from Orme was unlawfully killed

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

After two days’ deliberation, a jury concluded that Ben's death was due to unlawful killing by the trip’s Explorer Scout leader and assistant Explorer Scout leader.

In addition, the 10-person jury concluded yesterday (February 22) that the neglect of The Scout Association as an organisation also contributed to Ben’s unlawful killing.

Ben Leonard (Image: Family handout)

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Within minutes of the jury delivering its conclusion, Jennie Price, chair of The Scout Association Board of Trustees, issued a statement on behalf of the organisation.

Ms Price said: "We take today’s conclusion extremely seriously.

"We want to restate our wholehearted apology to Ben Leonard’s family and our deepest sympathies continue to be with his family and friends.

"As an organisation, we are committed to learning.

"The jury heard how in this instance the local leaders did not follow our safety rules and processes.

"As a result of Ben’s tragic death in 2018, we have already made many changes to our risk assessments, safety rules, training and support we give our volunteers.

"We will closely review the coroner’s observations and adopt all further changes we can, to do everything in our power to stop such a tragic event happening again. 

Ben Leonard (Image: Family handout)

"Keeping young people safe from harm remains our number one priority at Scouts.

"We emphatically refute allegations made in court about any criminal action on behalf of the Scout Association."

All three of the leaders on the Llandudno trip – Sean Glaister, Gareth Williams and Mary Carr – were not suitably qualified first aiders for the trip, a breach of Scout rules.

Mr Williams was in court yesterday to hear the jury’s conclusions, but Mr Glaister and Ms Carr were not.

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 Scout Association’s Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR), meanwhile, was not checked by Mr Glaister when he planned the trip.

None of the leaders were suspended from their respective duties in the aftermath of Ben's death, nor was a serious incident review carried out by The Scout Association.

Ben Leonard (Image: Family handout)

Bernard Richmond KC, representing Ben’s family, read out Ms Price’s statement, followed by a family statement, before the court.

Extracts from this read: "The pain of losing Ben has only been made worse by the constant passing of blame from one person to another, and the never-ending uttering of empty words.

"The emails we have read, comments such as: 'We hope that the family don't have lawyers' and the use of tactics designed to make us think nobody was at fault, and: 'Nobody sues the Scouts and wins' are, frankly, deplorable.

"Even now, they are using words to deflect attention from their failures. We are grateful to the jury for seeing through this smokescreen.

"We are sad that neither Sean Glaister or Mary Carr found it within themselves to come and face us as we received the jury's determination.

"Their behaviour is in stark contrast to that of Gareth Williams, who has been here throughout."

David Pojur, assistant coroner for North Wales East and Central, is to issue a Prevention of Future Deaths Report with 39 different points of concern following the inquest.

It will be sent to nine different parties, all of whom are duty-bound to respond to it within 56 days.