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Alton Towers owner pleads guilty over Smiler rollercoaster crash Alton Towers owner pleads guilty over Smiler rollercoaster crash
(about 1 hour later)
The owner of Alton Towers, Merlin Entertainments, is facing a multimillion-pound fine after it admitted breaking health and safety laws in relation to the rollercoaster crash that seriously injured five passengers. The owner of Alton Towers is facing a multimillion-pound fine after it admitted breaking health and safety laws over the rollercoaster crash that seriously injured five passengers.
Two people had their legs amputated after the collision on the Smiler ride in June last year, while three others suffered life-changing injuries.Two people had their legs amputated after the collision on the Smiler ride in June last year, while three others suffered life-changing injuries.
In a brief hearing at North Staffordshire justice centre on Friday, the park’s owner, Merlin Entertainments, pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety laws. The five most seriously injured victims appeared in court in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, on Friday morning as the theme park’s owner, Merlin Entertainments, pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety rules.
The firm will face an unlimited fine when it is sentenced on 20 May. One senior legal source said the penalty would run “into the millions”, depending on mitigation. District judge John McGarva said the firm faced a “very large fine” when it next appeared at Stafford crown court on 20 May, with the figure possibly reaching seven figures.
The guilty plea is believed to make Alton Towers the first major UK theme park where the owners have admitted a criminal breach of health and safety laws. The guilty plea is believed to make Alton Towers the first major UK theme park whose owners have admitted a criminal breach of health and safety laws.
A total of 16 people were injured when their carriage collided with an empty one on a low section of the ride, which can reach speeds of up to 50mph. Joe Pugh, 19, and his girlfriend Leah Washington, 18, who both suffered serious leg injuries in the crash on 2 June last year, stood shoulder-to-shoulder outside North Staffordshire justice centre as a lawyer read a statement on behalf of the victims.
The five seriously injured were Vicky Balch, 21, and Daniel Thorpe, 28, from Buxton in Derbyshire; Leah Washington, 18, and Joe Pugh, 19, from Barnsley; and Chandaben Chauhan, 49, from Wednesbury, West Midlands. Paul Paxton, of Stewarts Law, said the guilty plea was “a milestone along the way to psychological rehabilitation”.
Passengers were trapped more than 7 metres (20ft) from the ground at an angle of about 45 degrees before eventually being freed by emergency workers. He added: “Given that such serious injuries could be sustained on a fun day out, it is hardly surprising that a criminal offence was committed. However, it is comforting for the families that a plea of guilty has been entered rather than the victims having to endure a drawn-out trial.
The Smiler reopened in March, nine months after the crash, prompting Balch to accuse the theme park owner of putting money before safety. “Today is not seen as a victory; the families are not motivated by retribution, but inevitably this guilty plea will be a milestone along the way to psychological rehabilitation. Regrettably the physical recovery will be a lifelong process.”
A total of 16 people were injured when their carriage collided with an empty carriage on a low section of the ride, which can reach speeds of up to 50mph. The five seriously injured were Washington, 18, and Pugh, 19, from Barnsley; Vicky Balch, 21, and Daniel Thorpe, 28, from Buxton in Derbyshire; and Chandaben Chauhan, 49, from Wednesbury, West Midlands.
Passengers were trapped more than seven metres (20ft) from the ground at an angle of about 45 degrees before eventually being freed by emergency workers.
The Smiler reopened in March, nine months after the crash, prompting Balch to accused the theme park owner of putting money before safety.
After an internal investigation, Merlin Entertainments said in November that the crash was a result of human error because an operator decided to override a safety system.After an internal investigation, Merlin Entertainments said in November that the crash was a result of human error because an operator decided to override a safety system.
The five most seriously injured victims sat in the court’s public gallery for the short hearing. There was little reaction from them as the theme park entered its guilty plea.
In court, the company was alleged to have breached section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which states: “It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety.”In court, the company was alleged to have breached section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which states: “It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety.”
Asked by the court usher to enter a plea to the charge, Simon Antrobus, the barrister appearing for the firm, said: “I’m duly authorised by Merlin Attractions Limited to enter a guilty plea to the charge.”Asked by the court usher to enter a plea to the charge, Simon Antrobus, the barrister appearing for the firm, said: “I’m duly authorised by Merlin Attractions Limited to enter a guilty plea to the charge.”
Bernard Thoroughgood, counsel for the Health and Safety Executive, which brought the prosecution, told the court that the flagship rollercoaster “was not as safe as it should have been”. Pictures released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after the court hearing showed the damage caused by the high-impact collision. In one photograph, the front bumper of the carriage that carried the passengers can be seen almost completely caved in towards the front row of seats.
He said the ride was “mechanically sound” but there was no proper procedure in place for staff in the event of an error. Bernard Thoroughgood, counsel for the HSE, which brought the prosecution, told the court that the flagship rollercoaster “was not as safe as it should have been”. He said the ride was “mechanically sound” but there was no proper procedure in place for staff in the event of an error.
“There was an absence of a proper solid system for the staff to work on in certain situations,” he said. Thoroughgood said the victims had submitted impact statements to the court in with they said their pain was “indescribable” and many said “my life and my family’s life has been turned upside down”.
“On 2 June, although the computer control system was correctly showing ... [that] there was a static empty train, staff didn’t see it. There wasn’t a system they should follow to see it. They overrode the lock in the system and sent the train with some of those sitting in the public gallery around the ride. Outside court, Neil Craig, head of operations for HSE in the Midlands, said: “Those injured on 2 June last year had every right to expect a carefree and fun day out. The incident was profoundly distressing for everyone involved, both physically and mentally. It left some with life-changing injuries. We hope this first milestone will help those affected to continue their recovery from this tragic incident.”
“As a result those sitting on the train were injured when their train collided with the empty train. The injuries were life changing in many cases.”
Thoroughgood said the victims had submitted impact statements to the court in with they said their pain was indescribable and many said their life and their family’s lives had been turned upside down.
The district judge John McGarva said Merlin may have to pay a “very large fine” and sent the case to Stafford crown court for a sentencing hearing.
Speaking outside the court, a lawyer for the victims said the guilty plea was “a milestone along the way to psychological rehabilitation”.Paul Paxton said: “Given that such serious injuries could be sustained on a fun day out, it is hardly surprising that a criminal offence was committed. However, it is comforting for the families that a plea of guilty has been entered rather than the victims having to endure a drawn out trial.
“Today is not seen as a victory; the families are not motivated by retribution, but inevitably this guilty plea will be a milestone along the way to psychological rehabilitation. Regrettably the physical recovery will be a lifelong process.”
Neil Craig, head of operations for HSE in the Midlands said: “We welcome the guilty plea entered by Merlin Attractions Operations Ltd. Merlin has acknowledged that it failed in its legal duty to protect people on the Smiler ride.
“Those injured on 2 June last year had every right to expect a carefree and fun day out. The incident was profoundly distressing for everyone involved, both physically and mentally. It left some with life changing injuries.
“We hope this first milestone will help those affected to continue their recovery from this tragic incident.”
Merlin – which also owns Legoland, Madame Tussauds and the London Eye – said it overcame a fall in revenues at its theme parks to post an annual pre-tax profit rise of 0.3% to £250m in the year to 26 December.Merlin – which also owns Legoland, Madame Tussauds and the London Eye – said it overcame a fall in revenues at its theme parks to post an annual pre-tax profit rise of 0.3% to £250m in the year to 26 December.
It said Alton Towers had a significant fall in visitor numbers after the accident, which resulted in the 200ha (500 acre) theme park in Staffordshire being shut down for four days. It said Alton Towers had a significant fall in visitor numbers after the accident, which resulted in the 200ha (500 -acre) theme park in Staffordshire being shut down for four days.